Being a Black
by XxMrs.RadcliffexX
Summary: Adopted by the Weasley family, Ava Black who is now known as Samantha Weasley lives her life in peace. But when Sirius Black breaks out of Azkaban her entire life is thrown into question and her past may finally come to light.
1. Chapter 1

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **Thanks to MaidenDark for helping me with this story!_

_**Dark: **((grins)) It was fun. This is a collab story with her, with a few arguements on the pairings actually. ((smirks)) and she blames me for making her love Draco more...((sighs))_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **Righto! Now, Draco do the disclaimer._

_**Draco:** Filthy mudbloods...((mutters))_

_**Dark: **((whacks Draco))_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX:** You know Draco...we are writing this...we can just make u do something horrible...((grins evilly))_

_**Dark:** YEAH!!_

_**Draco: **O.o_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX:** Like...urm..._

_**Dark:** Make you GAY!!! Shave you BALD!! Mwahahahahah!!_

_**Draco: **I do not, repeat, do **NOT** belong to **MaidenDark** or **XxMrsRadcliffexX**! I belong to the oh so merciful JK Rowling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **That's better._

_**Dark: **((huggles Draco))_

_**Draco:** I should have used my wand...((mutters))_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX** and** Dark:** Enjoy and pls review!!!_

* * *

**Chapter 1: Haunted Past**

_Grey eyes stared down at a baby who was crying, a woman lay at a man's feet, dead. The man raised his wand, ready to utter the words that would end the baby's life._

"_Avada Ke…"_

_A black haired man burst into the room, wand raised and panting._

"_Expelliarmus!" he shouted, disarming the man, now seen as a Death Eater. The black haired man hurried over to the crib and scooped the baby up into his arms, apparating out as the Death Eater found his wand. He cursed when he realized that his prey had gotten away, the Dark Lord would not be happy about it._

_Sirius Black apparated to a village, and he walked hurriedly to a crooked house standing in an open field. He pounded on the door and waited impatiently for the door to open. There were a series of banging and grumbling, and a red haired man dressed in nightclothes opened the door._

"_Arthur, please…" Black said, handing him the baby. _

_Arthur Weasley who was at that point wide awake, took the baby without a word. Molly who had appeared by his side, stared in shock at Black, whose clothes were torn in various places and slightly burnt. _

"_Sirius.." she began, but he held up his hand. _

"_I'm sorry Molly, I have to go after him." _

_Arthur nodded, understanding him. Molly said nothing, in her hands she held her youngest child, and she looked lovingly at the child. _

_Without another word, Black apparated, but not before they heard him mutter what sounded like a name._

"_Ava, I love you."_

* * *

The sun streamed down into a small room in the Burrow, and a coal black haired girl opened her silver eyes lazily. She sat up on her bed, glancing around seeing her sister on the other side of the room, still asleep. 

"Tomorrow…Hogwarts…" she muttered, getting up and making her bed. Samantha Weasley made her way downstairs to find her mother at the stove cooking breakfast. She smiled.

"Good morning mother." She said as she sat down at the table, where her father was reading the newspaper.

"Good morning honey," Molly greeted cheerily, setting down a plate of eggs and toast in front of her. Arthur greeted her back and went on with his newspaper. Samantha ate her breakfast in peace, until her mother talked to her.

"Sam darling, could you please wake the others up? Breakfast is getting cold." Samantha nodded while setting her plate in the sink. She trotted upstairs just as Bill came down.

"Morning midget." He said, smirking and ruffling up her hair.

"Hey I'm no midget!" Samantha protested, gently slapping his hand away. "I grew taller!"

Bill shrugged. "Yeah, by an inch." Said he, laughing. Samantha scowled and went upstairs, ignoring the laugh of her brother.

She came to a door that had a sign 'Ronald', and the bottom he had scribbled, 'Future Keeper of the Chudley Cannons'. Below that, Fred had used a permanent charm to draw an arrow pointing to the words 'YEAH RIGHT!'. She giggled a bit before opening the door, and came face to a lot of orange and a loud snore.

"Another fantastic save… best Keeper…" Ronald Wealsy was muttering in his dream, tossing and turning in his bed. Samantha sighed and walkd over to her brother, deciding how to wake him up, when an idea came to her. She leaned close to his ear and yelled.

"Ron…Harry and Pansy Parkinson are making out downstairs!!"

"BLOODY HELL!!!" Ron yelled as he sprang from his bed, grabbing his wand from the bedside table and ready to curse Pansy.

"WHERE!? WHERE IS THAT SLYTHERIN!? WHAT'S HARRY DOING WITH HER?!"

Samantha was on the ground by then, laughing till her face was red and she was clutching her stomach. Ron was breathing heavily, when he realized his sister rolling on the ground.

"Sam…" he growled, walking slowly towards her. She ceased her laughing and stumbled back through the door, Ron hot on her heels. She ran all the way to the twin's room, barging in to it and grabbing a firework that they kept near the door. While running around the room as Ron chased her, she spit on the firework which was set of by wetting it and threw it in between the twins.

"_That ought to get them up."_ She thought as she ran out of the room. Ron, having seen what she did, got out too.

BANG.

A few seconds later, Fred and George emerged from their room, looking annoyed and their hair was burnt on the ends. Samantha stood at the stairs, smiling innocently at them with Ron in front of her. Ron was stiffling his laughter, when he remembered why he was up. The twins and Ron exchanged looks, and they chased their sister together.

"Samanatha Weasly you're gonna get it from us!" Fred yelled, as they chased her down the stairs. Samantha yelped and ran as fast as she could to the kitchen, where Molly and Bill were in. Arthur had already left for the Ministry of Magic, for he had an early shift today.

"Billllllll!!!!" Samantha yelled as she bumped into him, she rubbed her nose muttering an 'ouch' and clinged onto him.

"Bill!! They're out to get me, you gotta save meeeeee!!" she whined, and Bill chuckled. Molly laughed, used to their little routine of morning calls.

Bill shrugged and lifted the twelve year old girl onto his shoulders, when the trio barged in. Samantha stuck her tougue out at them and giggled, all while trying to mess up Bill's hair.

"Can't get me!" she sang, and they stared at her, defeated once again.

"Sam, you better stop messing up my hair, I'll be tempted to put you down."

Samantha pulled her hand back as fast as the Weasley brothers looked up eagerly. She scratched the back of her head nervously and giggled again.

"Bill, put her down. You lot eat your breakfast." A voice said, and they turned to see Charlie Weasley standing at the doorway of the kitchen.

The three nodded, Fred and George mocked a salute to Charlie and sat down. Bill set Samantha down and she ran to Charlie, giving him a big hug.

"Charlie! Good morning!" she said, jumping up and down. Charlie's head followed her movement, bobbing up and down.

"And…a…good…morning…to…you…too…kiddo…" he said, while his head went up and down with each word, making everyone laugh.

Ginny came in a while later, still in her pajamas, yawning.

"So when are we going to Diagon Alley?" she asked while taking a plate from her mother. Bill smiled.

"I'll be taking you guys there, along with Charlie. Mum's gotta run an errand for someone."

Samantha nodded and continued disturbing and teasing her siblings whilst they ate their breakfast.

* * *

"Harry! Hermione!" 

Ron shouted over the crowd in Diagon Alley, the two turned their heads and spotted him, waving.

"Ron!" Hermione called, embracing him as soon as she reached him. Harry chuckled and felt someone tackled him from behind.

"Jamesie!" Sam cried, using his middle name as he steadied himself. He mock glared at her and hoisted her up in the air, attempting to swing her around.

"Heyya Sammy!" He said, hugging her in a brotherly way. Samantha was a year younger then the golden trio, who were attending their third year. She and Ginny would be attending second year together.

After that, Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to go to the quidditch shop, where Harry needed a handle polisher for his broom. Hermione wanted to object, but was silenced as Harry and Ron dragged her away. Bill stood beside Samantha, waiting for her to say where she wanted to go as Charlie had gone with Ginny to Gringotts. Fred and George had long gone to the joke shop stationed quite a way down the Alley.

"I'm going to Flourish and Blotts, are you coming?" Bill asked Samantha, who nodded. They made their way through the crowds, Bill occasionally had to let go of her hand for the crowd pushed them apart. As they entered the book store, Bill said to meet back at the entrance in half and hour.

"I gotta find a book and mum wants us back by evening." He said, taking off. Samantha was left standing alone and she glanced around. A tap on her shoulder alerted her of another presence behind her. A sapphire haired girl was staring at her with her onyx eyes, and the girl smiled.

"Hi Sam, been a while." The girl said, holding up a book.

Samantha smirked and dropped her eyes to the title of the book. She nearly squeled in excitement when she saw it. It was the newest addition of 'The Stars of Quidditch'. She made a grab for it but her friend held it out of hand's reach.

"Nu uh, I found it first." Her friend, Alice said. Samantha pouted and put on her best puppy dog eyed look, making Alice's face scrunch up.

"Not gonna work this time girl." She said, turning her back.

"Aww…come on Alice…" Samantha said, pulling lightly on Alice's shirt. Alice glanced slightly at her, and pulled out another copy of the book.

"But since I'm such a nice friend, I got you one copy too."

Samantha grabbed the book and started jumping up and down, thanking Alice and hugging the book. Unknown to her, a pair of grey eyes watch her every move.

'_Immature brat.' _He thought, as he leaned against the railing from above the floor of the store. He scoffed, and somehow it was heard by her. Samantha glanced up, seeing the oh so mighty Draco Malfoy leaning and staring down at her. She snorted.

"What are YOU looking at ferret?" she snapped, and Alice giggled. Draco glared at her, racking a hand through his blond hair, sighing.

"I'm not looking at you pighead. God knows who'd want to look at YOU." He said, flashing his trademark smirk.

Samantha scowled and chucked a book at him, hitting him on the head. He swore as he threw the book aside, turning and heading downstairs. Alice smirked and sat down on a chair beside Samantha, deciding this would be a loong fight. Draco stood in front of her, towering her as he was a head taller then her. She glared up and him, and he laughed.

"That's right Weaselette, look up to me."

Samantha opened her mouth in horror, and Alice looked dumbstruck. She raised her arm while Draco was laughing and attempted to slap him, when Bill stepped out from behind a shelf.

"What's going on?" he asked, seeing Samantha's hand near Draco's face and Alice staring dumbly at them.

Samantha lowered her hand slowly, glaring at Draco. He smirked and leaned closer to her.

"Lucky you big brother was here to save you. I assure you, if you had slapped me you would have regretted it."

He whispered all this and straightened up, turning to leave smoothly, and the two Weasley and Alice to stared in puzzlement at his back.

* * *

Silver eyes snapped opened and a long breath was let out. Samantha lay awake on her bed, having the same dreams over and over again for the past few days. 

"What…was that…"

She got off her bed slowly, as not to wake Ginny up. She shook her head slightly and turned the door knob, creeping out of the room.

"_Ava, I love you."_

The sentence kept repeating in her head, making her wonder who was Ava, and why did she keep having the same dreams?

"Cold grey eyes…and that sentence…" she muttered, slightly afraid of the vision of the grey eyes. She walked to Charlie's door, where the light was still on, vaguely she wondered if her eldest brother was still asleep. She knocked lightly.

"Charlie?" she whispered. She heard shuffling noises in side, and a voice 'I'll get it' before the door opened.

"Samantha? What's wrong?" he asked when he noticed her tired expression.

"I…had…that dream…again." She struggled to get the words out. Charlie's eyes widen and he ushered her in, closing the door quietly.

Bill was sitting on the floor, a book in hand when he heard Samantha's voice. He glanced at her worriedly, noting the expression Charlie wore. He instantly knew it was about the dream again. He set the book down on the bed, and went to embrace Samantha.

"Hey…what do you remember this time?" he asked softly, the girl was shivering slightly. Charlie pulled out his spare blanket from the cupboard and wrapped it around her. She muttered a thanks and sat down on his bed.

"I don't know…everything is a blur…but…the words…still rings in my head…"

Charlie exchanged a glance with Bill. Not yet, they thought. She isn't ready to face anything, not now.

"Anything else?" Charlie pressed on.

"Cold…grey eyes…" she continued, and Bill nearly chocked. Grey eyes, he knew them anywhere.

Charlie coughed, covering up his shock. Samantha looked at both of them, they were acting weird.

"Charlie? Bill? Is something wrong?" she asked, making the two red head turn to her. Charlie smiled softly.

"It's nothing. Come on, you can sleep here for tonight." He said gently, patting her head. She nodded and lay down on his bed, closing her eyes. Bill was silent, stroking her coal black hair.

"She…shouldn't remember too much…" he said quietly, his eyes half closed, remembering the events of twelve years back.

Charlie nodded, though he didn't say anything at all. He just stared at the girl, who was sound asleep on his bed. He knew that one day, she would leave them. Though he somehow hoped that she would not. He thought of the days where he took care of her when they were younger, a smile graced his lips, and he sighed.

"_We cannot hold it from her for eternity. She will know someday."_

* * *

Samantha awoke to noises around her, and she opened her eyes, snapping them shut when the sunlight hit her eyes. She groaned and felt that she was hoisted up by someone. She didn't bother opening her eyes again, knowing it was Charlie by the feel of his rough hands on her skin. 

"Hey kiddo, mum's throwing a fuss downstairs cause Ron hasn't finished packing. Best not to be there when she's still at it."

Samantha nodded, smiling slightly. Ron always had the tendency to do that while she and Ginny always made sure their trunks were pack before they slept. She wondered if the twins and Ginny were awake…

"Where's Fred and George?" she asked, opening her eyes to the blue ones of Charlie. He smiled warmly and she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah well, that's one of the other reasons that mum's blowing. Seems that they had another batch of those sweets that make you puke. They were experimenting on themselves when mum walked in, seeing puke and thought they were sick."

Samantha giggled, imagining her mother walking in and seeing that scene. Fred and George were in so much trouble. Molly had always been telling them to dump the joke shop dream and study to get a proper job, but it seems that Fred and George wouldn't do it anytime soon.

"Alright kiddo, here's your room." Charlie said, setting her down when he reached her room. It seemed like a few minutes since he carried her, but it was only a few seconds. The house wasn't really big, so the rooms weren't really far apart.

"Thanks Charlie." She said as she entered her room, while Charlie went downstairs to calm their mother.

"Oh, Sam. Mum wants our trunks down now before we go for breakfast." Ginny said, dragging her trunk out of the room when she walked in.

"Okay Gin, be out in a minute." The black haired girl said while rummaging her drawer for clothes to change into. Ginny nodded and proceeded to close the door, letting her sister change.

* * *

Harry and Hermione were standing at the wall barrier to platform nine and a three quarters, and Ron went up to greet them. 

"Hey 'Mione, Harry. How was your summer at Dursley's? I forgot to ask when we were at Diagon Alley."

Harry sighed. "It was…eventful. I blew up my Aunt Marge, didn't you hear?"

Ron laughed. "Oh yeah that! I forgot that you were at the Leaky Cauldron until I saw you and 'Mione there."

"Ron it's not funny!" Hermione scoffed, and Ron scratched the back of his head.

"Right, not funny." He grinned, and Harry laughed at the scene. Samantha coughed, and the trio looked up to see Molly, Charlie, Bill, Fred, George Ginny and her looking at them. Hermione smiled.

"Shall we get going then?"

Everyone nodded. Charlie went first with Samantha, followed by Ron and Hermione, Harry and Bill, Fred and George, lastly, Molly and Ginny.

Grey eyes. It was the first thing that Samantha noticed when she crossed the barrier. Draco Malfoy was staring at her and the rest as they came through, Charlie was still standing beside her, his hand on her shoulders.

"It'll be fine kiddo." He assured her, and she silently thanked him. Her fear for the grey eyes she kept seeing were unbearable, and she couldn't help but think something was going to happen this year. She saw her father taking Harry aside, talking very fast and Harry nodding, but she did not understand. The train was going when Arthur made Harry promised something, and then there was no more.

Hermione, Ron and Harry had gone off with other third year Gryffindors, leaving her and Ginny to find their own compartment.

"Well, come on. Let's find Alice." Samantha suggested, and Ginny agreed. They walked from compartment to compartment, searching for the sapphire haired girl, when suddenly she bumped into someone.

"Ouch!" she yelp as she fell butt first on the ground. Ginny helped her up and scoffed at the person that Samantha had bumped into.

"Well well if it isn't the Weaselettes." Drawled a voice they knew so well.

"Malfoy." She hissed, glaring at him. "I didn't know your ferret butt was so big that it filled the whole doorway."

Draco smirked, and from the back you could see Crabbe and Goyle snickering. He shook his head and walked pass them, brushing Samantha's shoulder as he did. She glared daggers in his back and proceeded to find her friend.

"Sam?" a voice called from inside the compartment they were standing at, and Samantha slid it open, revealing Alice and George. George had his arm around her, but as soon as they blinked, it was gone. He coughed and got up, leaving the compartment as they came in.

"What was George doing here with you Alice?" Ginny asked while sitting down. Alice smiled softly.

"He just wanted to ask something. Nothing much." She replied, and Samantha smirked.

"Right, I thought I saw his arms around you?"

Alice just continued smiling, not showing the faintest hint of panic or blush, revealing nothing. Samantha gave up after a while, having known Alice for a long time, she knew that Alice would not crack so easily.

"So…anything new?" and the girls launched into their newest gossip.

* * *

**Dark: **It's done...((sighs)) Forgive the long disclaimer, me and **XxMrsRadcliffexX **were having fun there...xD Ya see the button on the bottom left screen?? yeah it says submit reviews...soo...be so kind and leave one please?? 

**Draco:** Yeah, since I do appear in the chapter, I make it interesting!

**Dark: **V.V yesh... I suppose. There'd be no drama if there's not Draco...

**Draco:** ((smirks)) review pls!!!


	2. Chapter 2

**xxmrsradcliffexx: **Okay! Lets see who's doing the disclaimer today!

**dark: **I know I know! ((pulls a piece of paper from a hat)) Bill!!!

**xxmrsradcliffexx:** ... ...((mumbles)) I wanted Fred and George...

**dark:** ((laughs)) It's a lucky draw ya know! ((hides the fact that the hat only contained Bill's name))

**Bill:** O.O Riight...

**xxmrsradcliffexx**: Oh just get it over with...((sulks in the corner))

**Bill:** All right. Harry Potter does not belong to **Maidendark** or **xxmrsradcliffexx**, it belongs to JK Rowling.

**dark:** Righto! Lets get on with it!

**xxmrsradcliffexx: **((glomps Bill and mumble somemore))

**Bill:** Err...???

* * *

**Chapter 2: Dementors**

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed, as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking seats furthest away from the window.

"Professor R.J.Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.

"How'd you know that?"

"It's on his case," replied Hermione, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name 'Professor R.J.Lupin' was stamped across one corner in the peeling letters.

After a few more minutes of talking about the Professor on board, Harry launched into the story where Mr Weasley had told him not to go looking for Black, and where Ron had said Harry wouldn't be thick enough to go after a nutter who was after him. Hermione was dead worried for Harry, and he wasn't expecting them to take the news so hard.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban." Said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done that before. And he was a top-security prisoner, too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him, too…"

Before she could continue, a sound came from Harry's trunk, and when they checked, the Pocket Sneakscope was spinning fast as Ron held it in his palm. Ron said that maybe it was broken, as no one was doing anything untrustworthy in the compartment, and that it was like that too when he sent it to Harry using Errol. He later on admitted, after being questioned by Hermione, that he wasn't suppose to be using Errol, so maybe that's why it kept spinning.

Talking about it suddenly moved to the topic of Hogsmeade, which Harry had explained that Uncle Vernon did not signed the permission slip, as he ran away after blowing up Aunt Marge. Hermione had gotten to explain the history of Hogsmeade, when she decided to let Crookshanks, the cat she bought at Diagon Alley out. Ron had prostested, but she didn't listen. At one o'clock the plump witch with the food trolley arrived at the compartment door. Ron asked whether it would be a good idea to wake the Professor up, but he didn't stir when Hermione called him. The witch said not to worry, and that if he was hungry when he woke up, she would be up front with the driver. Professor Lupin might not have been a good company, but he being in the same compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Gole.

"Well, look who it is," said the blond haired boy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and Weasel."

Harry and Ron glared at him, while Hermione snorted.

"Heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley, did your mother die of shock?"

Before Ron could stand up, or Harry restrain him, another voice came in.

"Actually ferret, my mother was really happy." Samantha said, venom lacing her voice and her silver eyes now blazing with anger.

Draco cocked his eyebrow, smirking down at the girl who was at least a head shorter. A sapphire haired girl stood beside her, glaring silently at the three too. Then they heard a snort.

"Who's that?" Draco said, taking an automatic step backwards as he spotted Lupin.

"New teacher." Said Harry, who had gotten to his feet too, in case things got ugly. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Draco's eyes narrowed, he wasn't a fool enough to pick a fight under a teacher's nose. Samantha smirked, and Hermione smiled.

"Better get going ferret, wouldn't want to get detention on your first day now, would you?" she said, as Draco turned his heels and stalked of, Crabbe and Goyle behind him. She then turned to the golden trio, who were staring at her.

"Well, I came to see if Ron wanted his rat tonic," she said, holding up a bottle. Ron nodded and took it, smiling.

"Thanks Sam."

She grinned, and waved, proceeding back to their compartment with Alice behind her. Just as she passed by another few compartment, the train slowed and the lights dimmed. She glanced around to see a lot of heads poking out the compartment doors.

"Are we there already?" she asked, startled. Alice frowned and checked her watch.

"We can't be, it's still too early…" she muttered, whipping out her wand. Samantha followed suit and they continued to walk, ignoring all the puzzled faces looking up and down. As Samantha was about to slid their compartment door open, Alice pulled her shirt back, so that she was behind her.

"Shh…" she hissed, as she held her wand high. Her other hand moved slowly to the door, sliding it open quietly, and she ushered Samantha in. "It comes…"

When Samantha open her mouth to ask what had come, a cold feeling swept over her, drowning out her hearing and sight. She faintly saw Alice whipped her head and called out, but she couldn't hear, but she noticed a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling, and its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Her breath hitched and she struggled to breath, and from a distance, she heard a scream, screaming a name she was familiar with…

"_AVA!!!!!!"_

"Expecto Patronum!" A voice shouted, and a silvery smoke came out of a person's wand, charging down at the cloaked figure. The figure glided away as fast as it came, and a red head man burst in the compartment. Alice was shaking Samantha, who was out cold.

"Sam! Come on Sam! Wake up!"

Someone was shaking her, and it made her dizzy.

"A-Alice…?"

Samantha opened her silver eyes to meet onyx ones which were full of concern. Another person was standing at the doorway, looking relieved that both were unharmed.

"Sam, Alice…thank Merlin you both are okay…" Bill said, crouching down to his sister. Samantha stared in shock at him, wondering what he was doing here.

"Bill…? Why are you…how did you…?" she said weakly, feeling faint. Bill shook his head as he help her up to the chair. Alice sat down beside her, feeling her forehead, while Bill was digging something out of his pocket.

"I was on board as soon as the train left, I was suppose to get back using a portkey, but the lights went out before I touched it. As soon as I confirmed_ they_ were here, I rushed to find you and the others."

Bill wasn't looking at the two girls, but he was busy breaking a bar of chocolate he produced from his pocket. He handed the girls a piece each, and told them to eat it.

"It'll help with the feelings you're having now." He said, before making a move to leave. But Samantha stopped him.

"Where're you going?"

"I have to owl mum and dad about this, and I have to check up on the others." He said, before he was gone. Samantha looked annoyed that the only person she could talk to about the voice was gone, but she faced Alice and noticed she didn't show any hint of feeling faint of cold.

"Didn't you feel anything back there?" Samantha asked, taking a bite of the chocolate, which surprising made her feel warm and well.

Alice smiled weakly. "Sorry, I just don't really feel my emotions."

Samantha nodded, but tried to understand her best friend, after all Alice was a quiet girl. She never showed when she was in pain or hurt, so she thought it was best to leave her alone. Suddenly the compartment door slid opened again.

"Sam, Alice. Are you both okay?" Fred and George stood at the door, slightly panting.

"Bill told us you fainted Sam, Harry did too." Fred said, sliding the door shut as George sat down in front of the two girls.

"It's odd…I felt like…like…"

"Like you'd never be happy again., its called a Dementor." Alice finished, looking out the window. Fred and George were staring at the girl, as she was silent all the way.

"Anyway," Fred said, ending the awkward silence. "Me and George gotta change soon, and you two better too. We'll be there in about ten minutes."

Alice nodded, and Samantha just stood up, walking over to her trunk, when a thought of someone struck her.

"Hey, where's Ginny?"

Fred looked at her strangely. "She's with Ron, she went there earlier, maybe you passed her?"

Alice shook her head. "She must have been in the restroom when we walked back or something."

* * *

Alice and Samantha got off last from the Hogswarts Express, and stood at the far back of all the students. Alice was silent as she let her snowy white owl out of the cage, and it stood on her shoulder. The name of the owl was Kerial, named after her dead childhood friend in honors of him. Samantha didn't have any animals, as she told her family she didn't want one. 

"Oh, there's one carriage left over there." Alice said, pointing forward. Sure enough, there was only the last carriage left, and Hagrid was gesturing for them to get in.

"Come on now you lot, in ter the carriage."

Samantha smiled at him warmly, but stood dead still at the carriage door when she saw who was inside.

"You…" she hissed, making the person turn. He looked worn out and tired, but it all vanished as soon as he saw the black haired girl.

"Merlin…don't I get enough already?" he muttered, unlike his usual self. Samantha didn't have time to retort as Alice shoved her in the carriage, and it took off.

Throughout the whole way there, no one said a word. Draco was staring out the window, while Alice had her eyes closed like she was sleeping. Samantha was drifting in and out of sleep, tired after the Dementor attack.

As the carriage came to a stop, Alice opened her onyx eyes to see Samantha sleeping. Draco had already made his way out, and his voice could be heard insulting Harry about fainting in the train. She sighed quietly, he didn't know Samantha fainted, that was enough. She gently shook her friend.

"Sam, come on. We're here…" she said, nudging her.

"Uhh…" Samantha stirred. She climbed down the carriage without looking where she was going, almost running into Bill.

"Whoa…You okay?"

She nodded, and whispered to him. "I had the dream…when the Dementor attacked…I heard…someone screaming 'Ava' this time…"

Bill's eyes widened. The Dementor effected her like it did Harry, meaning she would start remembering things more then just this. He cursed under his breath, but he turned to Samantha and tried to smile.

"It's alright. Just go to the feast won't ya? Harry and Hermione have gone off with Professor McGonagall for something I think…"

Sure enough, when Samantha turned her head to see, Harry and Hermione were trailing behind the Head of Gryffindor house. Samantha hurried over to Ron, and Alice didn't follow, instead, she went pass them but Samantha didn't notice.

The Sorting for the first years were boring to Samantha, even though she was excited when she first came, somehow the older students never found it boring for they get new friends everytime. She sighed. After the Sorting, she saw Harry and Hermione coming into the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. Harry sat beside Samantha, while Hermione beside Ron.

"What was that about?" muttered Ron to Harry.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the Headmaster stood up to speak, he trailed off.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious. I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"

He went on about the Dementors searching the train, and how their school now had them guarding the entrance. He didn't look at all happy, and Samantha remembered how Mr Weasley had said Dumbledore wasn't happy with Dementors guarding the school. After that, he introduced two new teachers, one was of course Professor Lupin which she saw on the train, and the other one would be Professor Hagrid. They were all surprised, but happy all the same when Professor Dumbledore announced this, and cheered the loudest.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance." Said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Everyone could be seen helping themselves to the delicious food, but Samantha suddenly noticed that Alice was not by her at all.

"Hey…has anyone seen Alice?" she asked, looking at Harry who had his mouth full, Ron who was about to stuff his mouth with pie and Hermione who was sipping her pumpkin juice.

"I thought I saw her…" Hermione said, and Ginny cut in.

"She's down there, with Fred and George." She said casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. The four looked further down the table, and sure enough Alice was sitting beside George. She looked paler then usual, and George looked like he was gonna start force feeding her if she didn't eat. Fred and Lee were having concerned expressions, while Alice tried to wave them off.

"What's wrong with her?" Samantha asked, and Ginny shrugged.

"I think the Dementors affected her."

"But she was fine just now." She said, glancing down again. Alice was leaning on George, who didn't seem to mind as he talked to Fred and Lee. She looked like she was cursing something as she held onto a piece of bread, seemingly forced to eat.

"Is she going out with George?" Hermione asked, and Ron who had his mouth full, choked, spitting out the contents. Unfortunately, Samantha was sitting in front of Ron, but she ducked in time and the food hit another unfortunate soul…

"What in Slytherin's name…"

The black haired girl glanced behind, seeing Draco Malfoy's back with the disgusting slime, she couldn't help but laugh. Harry snickered, Ginny and Hermione giggled. Luckily for Draco, no one else was paying attention to them. Crabbe and Goyle were trying to wipe of the slime, and he was glaring at the five Gryffindors.

"Weasley…" he began. "That was my bloody hair…"

Ron slapped his hand to his mouth, trying not to laugh. Draco made to whip out his wand, but at the time felt the slime clean off him. Alice stood between the tables, munching on a bread.

"Oh it's enough. I can't leave for ten minute before something happens?"

Draco grunted, and resumed his meal. Alice sighed and plopped down beside Samantha, the golden trio had resumed their meal too, while Ginny turned to Alice.

"Are you and George going out?"

Alice merely smiled, and commented on how delicious the pie was tonight. Samantha only nodded, playing along with her. Ginny gave up after a while, and thought of asking George herself later. Percy came over before everyone departed for their dormitories, telling them the password and asking how everyone was for the summer he wasn't there.

* * *

**dark: **And that's chapter 2!! So ... ya see the button at the bottom?? Clickkkkk...

**xxmrsradcliffexx: **Review or let Draco face the consequences!!!

**Draco:** O.o why me?

**dark: **... ...cause you're a ferret! ((grins))

**xxmrsradcliffexx: **Suitable for dinner...((laughs evilly))

**Draco:** ... ... ... Help?


	3. Chapter 3

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **This chap is just a filler cause MaidenDark and I have been extremly busy with a lot of other stuff. So sorry! The next chap will be better. We promise!_

_**MaidenDark**: Completely by the book…'cept I made Sam listen to Hagrid's explanation about Hiprogriffs instead of Harry…_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX**: Anyways..on with the disclaimer!_

_**MaidenDark:** Who's the lucky((coughunluckycough)) one today?? _

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX**: ((takes out a piece of paper)) According to our list, next in line is…. (drumroll) RON!!_

_**Ron:** Meep!_

_**MaidenDark**: ((glared)) Meep? Get on with it Ronald!_

_**Ron:** ((glares back)) Yes yes we do not belong to this two girls ((coughlunaticscough)) writing this story. So there._

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX**: Hey! I heard that lunatics remark! You're gonna get it Ronald Weasley!!_

_**Ron**: Ooooh! I'm scared! Whatcha gonna do? Huh?_

_**XxMrsRadcliffexX**: ((takes out a rubber spider))_

_**Ron:** AAAHHH!!! SPIDER!! ((runs away screaming))_

* * *

**Chapter 3: Filler**

Samantha entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, and the first thing she saw was Draco teasing Harry about another Dementor with a large group of Slytherins. There was a roar of laughter when she saw Hermione ushering Ron and Harry away, telling them to ignore the Slytherins.

"New second-year timetables." Said George, passing one to Samantha and Alice, who had came down later. Harry, Ron and Hermione had gotten theirs from him too.

"What's up with you, Harry?"

"Malfoy." Said Ron, sitting down on Hermione's side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.

George and Samantha looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git." He said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself." Said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself." Said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors…"

"Sort of freezes you insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Actually I did." Samantha said, taking a piece of toast. Everyone, excluding Alice, Fred and George looked at her.

"Oh…" Harry said, apparently relieved that he wasn't the only one who fainted.

After that, the morning passed without further disturbance, and Samantha, Ginny and Alice made their way to Cares of Magical Creatures. The golden trio had Divination, while the twins had Defense against Dark Arts.

* * *

"Hagrid, what are we learning today?" Samantha asked, trying to keep up with the half giant.

"Well, I'll go an' get 'em now see?" he said cheerfully, leading the second years near his hut. There was a fencing and behind the fence were dozens of bizarre creatures that Samantha had never seen. They had the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a very long chain, and the ends of all these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid. Many mumurs and whispering were heard among the students, all terrified at the creatures. Hagrid chuckled.

"Hippogriffs! Don' worry 'bout goin near 'em. I only need yer to study them." He said, and the class calmed down. "O' course, if anyone is willing ter ride one…"

The students backed away immediately, except Samantha, Ginny and Alice. They came closer to the fence, while Hagrid explained how to ride one. Apparently, Hippogriffs were very proud and get offended easily, so a person would bow before waiting to see if it bows back, if it does, then it's safe to touch them. If it doesn't however, it would be best to back away slowly.

Samantha nodded after that, and followed Hagrid, as Alice and Ginny decided not to ride one. Alice said she rode before, it was a pleasant experience, but not one she would like to do over and over again.

"Now yer bow…" Hagrid said, as he untied one of the chains, pulled the grey Hippogriff away from his fellows and slipped of his leather collar. Samantha kept eye contact with it, like Hagrid had told her, and waited patiently after she bowed. When the Hipprogriff, Buckbeak didn't move, Hagrid got worried. Just as he was about to ask Samantha to back off slowly, it bowed back.

"Well done Sam! Now yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on."

Samantha smiled slightly as she patted his beak, and it closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. The class applauded, some surprised and some were glad nothing happened. Alice and Ginny came up too, bowed and Buckbeak bowed back. Hagrid was glad the three tried out, and continued teaching after that, as Samantha had declined riding on it, fearing that something might happened though Hagrid assured her.

"I'll go on it next time, if you don't mind?" Samantha told Hagird before going into the castle.

"Yeh be welcome to Sam." He said, smiling behind his beard.

* * *

The days passed by quickly for Samantha without any trouble. She had fun in potions, even though it was taught by Snape. Alice and her enjoyed Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA) with Ginny, Professor Lupin was a really good teacher. But two days after her first Care of Magical Creatures class, Harry told them Draco had been injured by Buckbeak.

"What?!" Samantha exclaimed, startled.

Harry nodded. "That git insulted Buckbeak, and you know what Hagrid said about insulting one. It attacked him."

"Nasty cut he got…" Ron mumbled, Hermione was quiet.

"They won't sack him…right?" she said timidly. No one said anything.

"Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him." Harry muttered as they headed back to dinner.

* * *

They spent the rest of dinner hoping to see Hagrid, but he didn't show up. Samantha was worried, but she could do nothing as she watched the golden trio as they walk across the grounds to Hagrid's hut.

"Come on Sam, we got homework to do." Alice said, pulling her away from the window.

Samantha nodded and followed the other two girls up the stairs to the common room.

* * *

"Malfoy showed up today." Ron said sourly as they entered the Great Hall. Samantha glanced over to the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy's hand in a cast and sling.

"Is it really that bad?" Ginny asked.

The trio shook their heads. "He's faking it, no doubt trying to get Hagrid sacked."

"That bastard…" Alice said under her breath. Everyone stared at her, no one had ever heard her insult anyone before.

"Swearing now are we?" a voice said, and they looked up to see Bill.

"Bill! What are you doing here?" Ron asked, surprised. Bill chuckled.

"Mum wants me to check on you guys."

No one was fooled though, everyone wanted to keep Harry safe. The five of them had already heard from Harry that Sirius Black was after him. If Black could get pass the Dementors at Azkaban, who knows if he could get through them at Hogwarts?

"Anyway," Bill coughed. "Charlie's back in Romania and I see Remus is here."

"You know Professor Lupin?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, he thought me a few things…"

Just then, an owl swoop down and perched on Bill's shoulder. He took the letter, patted the owl's beak and opened it. He sighed after reading and stuffed it back into his pocket.

"Well, I gotta run. See ya guys." He said, and walked out of the hall.

"He made it obvious, didn't he…" Harry said miserably.

"Don't worry bout it Harry, we want you to be safe too." Samantha said, patting him on the back.

"Alright, I'm going to the Quidditch pitch to fly around a bit before Oliver comes." Alice said, getting to her feet.

"I'll come with." Samantha started to say, but Alice held up her hand.

"You, will finish your lunch as we don't have anything else this afternoon. You have not been eating well."

Samantha pouted. "Yes mother." She muttered, and everyone laughed.

"Fred and George gave already went down, I'm sure Angelina is there too." Harry said as they watched Alice walked out.

"I wonder what's really going on with Alice and George…" Ginny said, while the rest agreed.

* * *

George was waiting outside the Great Hall when Alice came out. She smiled when she saw him and fell into step with him as he walked towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Do you think we'll be able to do it this year?" she asked him.

"Well, Oliver certainly wants the cup this year, and we've been having bad luck, as we haven't won the cup since Charlie was the 'Legendary Seeker'."

Alice giggled. "Then we must win it this year."

George chuckled and nodded. Just then, Fred and Angelina looked out from the changing rooms, seeing the two they immedietly ushered them in.

"Where's Harry and Sam?" Angelina asked. "Oliver's coming soon and he expects everyone to be here."

"Well they're…" Alice started, but the door opened that very minute.

"We're here!" Harry and Sam called, panting.

"What took you guys so long?" asked Fred

"Well, we would have gotten here sooner if _someone_ hadnt forced me to eat." Said Sam shooting Alice a look.

"What? Do you wanna faint in the middle of practice Miss-I-Don't-Want-To-Listen-To-Alice-Eventhough-She-Only-Wants-What's-Best-For-Me?" Alice retorted.

Sam was just about to answer when the door swung open and their captain walked in.

As they settled down, Oliver Wood, a burly seventeen year old, now in his seventh and final year in Hogwarts made his way to the front of the room. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly changing rooms on the edge of the Quidditch pitch.

"This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch Cup." He told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it."

"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. OK, so we've had the worst luck in the world-injuries-then the tournament getting called off last year…" Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But I also know that we've got the best – ruddy – team – in – the – school -" he said, puching a fist into his other hand, the old maniac glint back in his eyes.

"We've got three superb Chasers."

Wood pointed at Samantha Weasley, Angelina Johnson, and Alice Crystalkeep.

"We've got two unbeatable Beaters."

"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarassing us." Said Fred and George Weasley, pretending to blush.

"And we've got a seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood mumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me." He added, as an afterthought.

"We think you're very good too, Oliver." Said George.

"Cracking keeper." Said Fred.

"Amazing." Said Alice and Sam.

"The point is…" Wood went on, resuming his pacing. The Quidditch cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought this thing was in the bad. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing…"

Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked symphatic.

"Oliver, this year's our year!" said Fred.

"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.

"Definitely!" Harry and Sam added.

Full of determination, the team started training sessions three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish the Gryffindors wonderful vision of winning the huge silver Quidditch cup.

* * *

Sam walked into the common room after Quidditch practise one day, having showered off the mud and rain. Alice was looking at something, while Harry looked disapponted.

"What's up?" she asked, walking towards Alice.

"Fisrt Hogsmeade weekend for the third years." Said Alice pointing at the notice board.

"Oh…" said Sam. "That explains Harry's mood."

Alice nodded. "Wish we were third years."

Sam giggled, patting Alice on the back. "Yeah well, we will be next year."

Alice nodded. "If I could, I'd go with…oh, nevermind."

Sam cocked an eyebrow, but just as she opened her mouth to ask, Ginny came along.

"Hello, I just spoke to Harry. He seems really dissapointed he can't go to Hogsmeade with Hermione and Ron."

"Of course he would. Those muggles don't understand a thing about our world." Sam grumbled, walking over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"… the only third year left behind." Said Ron, "Ask McGonagall, go on Harry…"

"Yeah, I think I will." Said Harry.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Crookshanks came over just that minute with a dead spider in his mouth. Ron looked disgusted and complained, while Sam laughed at her brother's fear.

"Hey Harry, you can come to the Quidditch pitch with us if you want on that day." Sam suggested.

Harry shrugged. "We'll see what McGonagall says first shall we?"

* * *

On Halloween morning however, Sam, Alice and Ginny came down to the Great Hall to see Harry being slightly off. 

"She said no huh?" Alice asked, sitting beside Hermione.

Harry nodded, and assured Ron and Hermione that he would be fine. Sam asked Harry if he'd like to go to the Quidditch pitch, but he declined.

"I think I'll head back to the common room." He said as Ron and Hermione left.

"Come on Sam, we'd better get to the Quidditch pitch." Said Alice.

Sam nodded. They grabbed their broomsticks from the table and headed towards the pitch.

"Well Weaselette, pity you ain't a third year isn't it?"

The three girls turned to see Draco sneering at them with Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise behind him.

"Yeah well, at least im not a slimy git like you." Sam smirked while Alice and Ginny giggled.

Draco snorted and walked off bumping into Ginny on the way making her fall. She glared at him, who didn't even bother to look back but kept going. Blaise however, stopped and gave her a hand, which made the three stare at him. He frowned.

"Do you want it or not?" he asked impatiently and Ginny took his hand. He hoisted her up with ease and left without a word.

"That…was plain weird." Said Alice, staring at the retreating back of the Slytherins.

* * *

Madam Rosmerta had to blink to be sure of what she saw. She thought she had just saw The Grim, the omen of death outside her window. She shook her head and quickly drew the curtains not wanting to know what was out there. A black shaggy dog slowly made it's way to Hogwarts. It was close now. So very close.

* * *

**A/N: **... Review? Please? xD 


	4. Chapter 4

**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **_Hey all! Sorry for the long wait! **MaidenDark** and I have been really busy. Oh, and before i forget, **MaidenDark **sends her apologies cuz she's really busy and she's not gonna be here for the disclaimer. Finally, i get to pick! YAY! I want Oliver to do it!_

**Oliver: **_Me? I get the honour of doing the disclaimer? Really? Me?_

**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **_Yes, Oliver you! Since you're in this chap you can do it. Go on._

**Oliver: **_Oh! I knew this day would come. There's so many people i wanna thank..._

**Sam: **_Oh no! Here he goes again! of on another long winded speech. Might as well get comfortable._

_-_Everyone settles down with comfy cushions and snacks-

**Oliver: **_First, I wanna thank XxMrsRadcliffexX and MaidenDark for writing such an awesome story. And i thank MaidenDark's teacher for giving her so much of work so she let XxMrsRadcliffexX choose. And I thank XxMrsRadcliffexX for choosing me..._

**Ron: **_Who has the Chocolate Frogs?_

**Harry: **_Here Ron! Catch! -Throws Ron a frog-_

**Ron: **_-Catches frog and eats it- with his mouth full Sank eu Arry!_

**Hermione: **_Eww! Ron! Dont talk with your mouth full!_

**Oliver: **_And i'd like to thank my mom for always believing in me and never giving up on me. And the Gryffindor Quidditch team who let me practice my speeches on them.._

**Sam: **_Alice! Don't hog the popcorn! I want some too!_

**Alice: **_Then ya should have asked! Here, take some. -Hands Sam popcorn bucket-_

**Sam: **_-pops some popcorn in her mouth- Hey Ginny! Want some?_

**Ginny: **_No thanks!_

**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **_Oliver! Can you just do the disclaimer already?_

**Oliver: **_Okay. Okay. Sheesh. Cant i have my 5 minutes of fame? Here goes..opens mouth to start disclaimer -a beeping noise is heard and Oliver glances at his watch- Uh-oh! Quidditch traning time! Sorry! Come on guys, lets go!_

**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **_Oh fine then! I'll do it! **MaidenDark **& I do not own anything in this fanfic except for Sam, Alice, and our ideas for this fic. Everything else belongs to the most wonderful and brilliant J.K. Rowling. Without further ado, here's the 4th chapter of Being A Black. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 4: The Quidditch Match**

****

Night came quickly for Samantha, as they spent the whole day out in the pitch, practicing their moves and playing around. All too soon it was time to get back to the castle, and get ready for the Halloween feast.

"It's going to be a great feast…I'm starving…" Samantha said as they made their way down from the Griffindor tower.

Ginny giggled. "I'm sure it'll be, don't fuss."

Alice kept silent throughout the whole way, glancing around occasionally, and when they finally reached the Great Hall, Alice parted after saying she had something to do. Samantha and Ginny looked at each other, grinning.

"Something huh…more like _someone_, right Gin?" Samantha said, smiling.

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, lets go see shall we?"

But before they could go, Dumbledore stood up, getting all the students attention. Samantha and Ginny hurried to the table, sitting beside the golden trio. Alice was too far down the table to be seen, but Ginny faintly saw that George was not sitting with her.

"Hey…she's not sitting with George…" Ginny said to Samantha, as she diverted her attention from the headmaster to Ginny.

"Huh? But I thought…" the rest of her voice was drowned out by the cheers of the students, who began digging into the delicious feast that had appeared in front of them, and so the topic about what Alice was doing, was dropped.

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghost. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a spot formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading.

The evening was going so well and Samantha noticed that even though Draco had shouted 'The Dementors send their love Potter!', Harry was unaffected by it. She smiled brightly at him, and he returned the gesture.

"Alice?" Samatha called, scanning the through the crowd of Gryffindors, searching for her sapphire head friend. A hand tapped her back, and she turned to see Alice behind her.

"Sorry, got caught up in the crowd." Alice said, turning towards the direction of the portrait, but it was jammed up with students.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here?" Samantha sighed, trying to see over the tall heads. Every Gryffindor was standing outside the portrait hole, none of them seem to be going in.

"Let me through, please." Came Percy's voice, and he came bustling through the crowd. "What's the hold up? You can't all have forgotten the password – excuse me, I'm Head Boy-"

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. Samantha shivered at the atmosphere, and Alice remained emotionless.

"Somebody, get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who just arrived from the Great Hall.

Next moment, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping towards the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through.

"Oh, my-" Samantha heard Hermione exclaimed, and looked towards the portrait.

The Fat Lady had vanished from the portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that the strips of canvas littered on the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professor McGonagall, Lupin and Snape hurrying towards him.

"We need to find her." Said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice. Ginny looked up to see Peeves, the poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd. Samantha was disgusted by the fact that though the atmosphere was tensed, he was looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of their wreckage.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead, he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful." He said happily. "Poor thing," he added, unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore said quietly.

"Oh yes Professorhead." Said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over, and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

* * *

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were later joined by the students from the other three houses, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a search on the castle…" Professor Dumbledore said, and started explaining that for their safety, they had to spend the night here.

"Are you okay Harry?" Samantha asked, as they seized their sleeping bags, which Dumbledore had conjured up.

Harry nodded, smiling at Samantha. Hermione, Ginny and Ron had already dragged their bags to a corner, as Percy was shouting for everyone to get into their sleeping bags.

"…lucky he picked tonight, us not being in the tower…" was what Samantha and Harry heard as they came closer to them.

The whole Hall was still buzzing with excitement at what happened. A lot of students were coming up with conclusions on how Black managed to come into the castle.

"Apparated!"

"…disguised himself probably…"

"…could have flown in…"

Samantha giggled when Hermione shot out grumpily to Harry and Ron about how the book, _Hogwarts, A History_ stated that the castle was protected by more than _walls_. Magic and enchantments were set up all around the castle, so no one can just Apparate into the castle. Secret passages were out of question too, as Filch would know them all and have them checked.

"Lights out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags, no more talking!"

The candles went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the Prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that many students had fallen asleep. Samantha was still wide awake then, and Alice was staring at the wall beside her, as she slept closest to it.

Around three in the morning, when almost everyone had fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had already fallen asleep, while Samantha and Alice were still alert and awake. They quickly pretended to sleep as Dumbledore came towards Percy, who was near them to tell of the students that were still talking.

"…sign of him, sir?"

"…No…"

"…control, sir…"

Samantha barely made out their conversation, as they were whispering. She heard the door creak open again, and footsteps.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape. "…third floor…searched…dungeons…not there…"

"…Astronomy…Owlery?"

"…searched…"

"…well…didn't expect him…linger here…"

Samantha tried to hear more, but she didn't dare to move, in case they caught her. But she could slightly hear more of the conversation towards the end.

"…do not believe…person inside…help Black in…"

"…Dementors…wanted…to help?"

"Oh yes…" Samantha heard Dumbledore said coldly. "…no Dementors…cross school grounds while I'm Headmaster."

Alice smiled slightly, and Samantha did too. She couldn't imagine Dementors sweeping through the castle, looking for Sirius Black. After that, they left and Alice turned to face Samantha.

"Snape's out to get someone in the castle, by the sound of it."

Samantha nodded. And they both had the same conclusion on who it was.

"Lupin."

* * *

Over the next few days, the students talked about nothing except on how Sirius Black got in. The theories got wilder and wilder as the days passed, and almost to the point where Samantha had to excuse herself just to laugh. Alice was better at controlling her emotions, so she just smiled every time it happened.

The portrait of the Fat Lady was taken down, and replaced with Sir Cadogan. Nobody was happy with this, as he spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the other half thinking up of ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.

"He's barking mad." Said Seamus Finnigan to Percy. "Can't we get someone else?"

"None of them wanted the job." Percy said. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."

That was least of Samantha's worries for the time being, for she noticed that Harry was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along him in the corridors, Percy was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog ('no doubt on mother's orders' thought Samantha) and Bill or Charlie popping in more frequently, giving excuses on how they needed to see Professor Dumbledore.

Apart from that, the weather was getting worse and their match against Slytherin was drawing near. The team was training hard even when the weather was bad, under the watchful eye of Madam Hooch. However, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.

"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry. "Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."

"Why?" chorused the team.

"His excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured." Said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances…"

"There's _nothing wrong_ with Malfoy's arm!" Harry said furiously. "He's faking it!"

"I know that, but we can't prove it." Said Wood bitterly. "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory."

"He's the silent one isn't he? The tall, good looking one." Alice said. George, Wood, Harry and Samantha looked at her weirdly.

"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together." Fred said impatiently. "I don't know why you're worried about him Oliver, Hufflepuff are a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes remember?"

"We were playing in different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focuses! Slytherin are trying to wrong-foot us! We _must_ win!"

"Oliver, calm down!" said Alice, pulling on his arm. Fred looked slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. _Seriously_."

The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team were looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Draco.

"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better." He sighed, as the gale outside pounded the windows.

Samantha had no room in her head to worry about anything except of the match the next day. Oliver ran to Harry every in between classes to give him tips, and Alice seemed slightly more on the edge now a days. She also snapped at Samantha once, while she was going over the strategies in her head. They had very little time to rearrange their strategies against Hufflepuff, so Wood had came running to each member, talking to them about it just like he did Harry.

The next day however, when Samantha woke up, the weather was still horrible. She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, looking out the window.

"This…is bad."

She tried to get back to sleep again, but the sound of thunder rumbling was hard to ignore, so she grumpily got up and walked towards the bathroom. She bumped into Alice, who had just came out, and almost fell, had Alice not grabbed her.

"Morning, Sam." Alice greeted with no emotion in her voice. Seemed like she was very tensed up for the match.

Samantha nodded, and stepped past her to the bathroom to get a quick shower. Alice didn't say anything but went down the stairs, going to the Great Hall.

"_Man…when's she's in that kinda mood, there's no telling what she's thinking!"_ Samantha thought, brushing her teeth.

* * *

When she went down to the Great Hall, the team was already there. Angelina was sitting with Fred, who sat beside George, while Alice and Wood were sitting beside them.

"It's going to be a tough one…" said Wood, who wasn't eating anything.

"Stop worrying, Oliver." Said Alice soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."

But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns towards the Quidditch pitch, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. Just before she entered the changing room however, a hand pulled her out.

"Wha-"

Draco Malfoy stood in front of her, with that smirk of his on his face.

"What's the chances of winning Hufflepuff in this weather, Weaselette?" said Draco, smirking.

She yanked her hand out of his grasp. "More than your arm being injured." She shot back.

His smirk faded a bit, but he continued to taunt her. "Yeah well, you being adopted doesn't make it feel any better, does it? At least I have my real parents."

Samantha stood there, rooted to the ground, staring at him. She knew she was adopted, that had explained why she wasn't a red head like the rest of the Weasleys.

"Wha…what's that got to do with Quidditch?"

Draco shrugged. "It has nothing. But I'm just pointing out that you're such a poor kitten, for the Weasleys to adopt you. As if they aren't poor enough."

Samantha gasped, that was the worst and lowest insult she ever heard from him. "How dare you…" she growled.

"Oh, I dare and I did Samantha Weasley." Draco said, shaking his head. "Pure blood traitors they are, and they even took in a half blood like you! Hah! It's plain pathetic!"

Samantha winced. It was true that she was a half blood, being able to use magic, but not coming from a wizard family, or so she had been told. But to hear it straight from the mouth of your arch enemy made it sound so much worst.

"…"

Draco ceased his laughing a bit, hearing no response from the raven haired girl, he stared at her trembling form.

"Wea-"

His head had snapped sideways before he completed his sentence, and he felt the stinging pain on his cheek.

"I hate you."

He turned to see tears running down her pale cheeks, and her silver eyes burning with hatred for him. She whipped around and hastily entered the changing room, not sparing him a second glance.

"Bloody hell…" Draco muttered, as he too turned towards the stands. He didn't think that Samantha would cry, after all the taunting he did, never once had she cried.

"Damn girls…"

* * *

When Samantha entered the changing room, it was silent. No one was speaking, and no one looked up when she came in. She was grateful for that, as she could imagine her tear stained face. She quickly changed into her scarlet robes and hurried to catch up with the rest of the team who were already walking out.

The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the pitch. If the crowd was cheering they could not hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder.

The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the pitch, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. Samantha saw Madam Hooch mouth the words, 'Mount your brooms'. She pulled her right leg out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over her broom. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant - they were off.

Samantha rose fast, but her broom swerved slightly with the wind. She held it steady, and got ready as she saw the Quaffle being passed.

Within five minutes the team was soaked to skin and frozen, and Samantha tried her hardest not to drop the Quaffle in her hands. Her fingers felt numb and she almost lost her grip on both the Quaffle and her broom. She used all of her will power pelt through the rain towards the goal post, shooting the Quaffle in. The Hufflepuff goalkeeper was so distracted by the wind that he didn't noticed the red ball coming.

Alice patted Samantha on the back as she flew past, hands out and trying to knock the Quaffle out of the opponent's hand. Angelina was there too, while Fred and George continued to hit the Bludgers out of the way.

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Samantha could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing her to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.

"I called for time out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here…"

They huddled at the edge of the pitch under a large umbrella; Samantha swept the wet hair that got into her eyes.

"Fifty points up. Harry if you don't get the Snitch soon we'll be playing into the night."

"I've got no chances with these on." Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.

At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.

But what she was here for, Samantha never knew, for she was not listening. Instead, she was staring at the stands, for when the lightning had strike, she saw something that distracted her; the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of the seats. She would have continued staring, had Angelina's hand not tapped her, but when she turned to look again, it had vanished.

She shrugged it off as she mounted her broom again, Harry apparently got rid of his glasses problem, so they still had a chance to win this. But as she rose again in air, she started to have doubts. How could Harry see through the rain, let alone find a small Snitch?

She didn't have time to ponder over it as the Quaffle was passed to her again, and she took off towards the goalpost.

"Harry! Harry! Behind you!" Wood shouted, and Samantha turned to see Harry pelting up the pitch, where Diggory was in front of him. She squinted her eyes to see more clearly, but something odd was happening.

An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Samantha had gone suddenly deaf – what was going on?

And then a horrible feeling washed over her, inside her, just as she became aware of something moving on the pitch below. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the feeling, and she looked down.

At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at her, were standing below. It was as though someone had thrown ice cold water over her, even colder than the harsh rain that fell on her. And then she heard it…the voice again…yet it was a bit different this time…

"_Stay away, stay away I said!"_

"_Move you stupid girl…"_

"_Don't you dare….NO!!!"_

_A woman screamed, a man laughing cruelly, and then…another voice…_

"_AVA!!!"_

"HARRY!!" her teammates voice shot her out from her trance, she whipped her head to look down and saw Harry falling from his broom, straight towards the ground. She tried to move, to shout, to whip out her wand, anything, but she couldn't. She stared in horror as Harry continued to fall, headfirst towards the ground. The rain had somehow calmed down, but Harry was still falling, she shut her eyes, not wanting to know what would happen.

"_Arresto Momentum."_

Her eyes snapped open and she saw Dumbledore, wand out and directed at Harry, whose body slowed down before dropping to the wet ground softly. She let out her breath that she didn't realize she was holding, while the rest of the team had sped down to check on Harry. A slight blurry image caught her attention, and she realized the Nimbus Two Thousand was being swept away by the wind, right towards the Whomping Willow.

"Damn!" she cursed, immediately going after it. She knew how much Harry had treasured the broom, being a gift to him during his first year. The broom held so much memories that Samantha didn't want Harry to lose anymore, so she took the risk in going after it.

Unfortunately and in the same time, fortunately for her, Wood noticed this. He quickly told Alice he was taking off, and mounted his broom. Alice was about to protest, when she noticed Samantha heading towards the Whomping Willow, and stayed silent. Little did they know, a certain blond haired boy was watching the whole scene.

"Doesn't Weasellete know anything? That broom is headed straight for the Whomping Willow. And after it's through with her, she's headed straight for the Hospital Wing, or worse, St Mungos."

Draco snorted.

"_Serves her right. Who asked her to be so god damned heroic. Typical Gryffindor."_

Draco shuddered as he remembered his own accident with the Whomping Willow. One word, unpleasant.

"She's gonna get huuurttt…" a singsong voice said in the back of his head.

"_Who the hell are you?"_

"Your inner voice."

"_I, The Almighty Famous Draco Malfoy, has an inner voice? Yeah right."_

"Yes you pompous airbag!"

"_Hey! I heard that! Or thought that…whatever! This is getting confusing! What do you want?"_

"What do I want? It's not a matter of what I want. It's a matter of what you want."

"_And what do I want, Oh-Great-Innner-Voice-Who-Knows-All?"_

"You want to go after her."

"_Her? Meaning Weaslete?"_

"No. Professor McGonagall. Of course Sam you idiot!"

"_Why would I want to go after her? And since when did I call her Sam?"_

"Cause you feel bad for insulting her about her background before the match. You always made fun of her because she fought back and you love a good fight. But this is the first time u actually made her cry. So you feel bad and you want to save her to redeem yourself. Oh and you started _thinking_ about calling her Sam just right now."

"_And you know this…how?"_

"You said it yourself. I know all. And besides, I'm you."

Draco swore. His damn inner voice had a point, but damn, it was annoying.

"_Urggh..i'm gonna regret this but what the heck."_

He ran across the pitch and snatched a broom, mounting it swiftly and pelting towards the Whomping Willow. Alice stood there, glaring slightly. If anything happened to her broom, Draco Malfoy was gonna get her the latest model in the market…

* * *

Getting the broom away from the Whomping Willow was definitely easier said than done. As Samantha flew through the thick branches of the tree, avoiding every single assault it threw at her, she realized the possibility of getting Harry's broom out unharmed was close to zero. As the Nimbus smartly swerved out of the Willow's attacks, it also flew further from Samantha.

"Damn it all…" she cursed, avoiding another branch as she reached out for the Nimbus.

But in her haste to grab the broom, she didn't notice a branch coming from the back, heading right for her head.

"LOOK OUT!" A voice shouted, and before she could register what was happening, someone slammed into her, knocking her off the broom. She fell on the hard ground, feeling her arm banging on a tree trunk. Dizziness clouded her vision, as she tried to see who had helped her, but she couldn't see straight.

Wood was slightly shocked at what he saw. The Slytherin Seeker had just knocked Samantha off her broom, before taking the hit from the Whomping Willow for her.

"What in Merlin's name…" he muttered, before diving down towards Samantha, who lay propped up against a tree, not far from the Whomping Willow.

Draco was avoiding the tree's branches, like how Samantha did earlier. Unlike her though, he wasn't trying to get the broom. It was already too late, the Nimbus has hit the Whomping Willow, that smashed it as it didn't like being hit. Samantha's broom too, was caught and disposed of in no time.

"Nothing I can do about that now…" Draco grunted as he turned his attention to the girl he had saved. His eyes widened slightly when he saw the Gryffindor team captain looking at him. He shrugged and flew off, leaving Wood to tend to Samantha.

* * *

**XxMrsRadcliffexX: **_Well, that's the end of the chap people. Hope you enjoyed it. Now can you please click that lil button down there and leave a review? Thank you! _

**Entire Cast**_: Hope you enjoyed it! And please review! _


	5. Chapter 5

**XxMrs.RadcliffexX**_ Sorry for the long wait people! although i dont think the wait was that long this time..._

**_MaidenDark: _**_Right! Been away with all the exams and stuff_

**_XxMrs.RadcliffexX_** _yupz!! okay..disclaimer time! eeny meenie miny mo!_

_**Alice: **((looks up)) you called?_

**_XxMrs.RadcliffexX_**_: You get to do the disclaimer!come come now..dont be shy_

_**Alice: **... I see_

**_MaidenDark_**_ err...**Alice** you can start now..._

_**Alice: **...I belong to **MaidenDark.**_

_**XxMrs.RadcliffexX **__**& MaidenDark**: OwO_

_**Alice:** ((sigh)) very well. Harry potter and the cast do not belong to MaidenDark or Mrs Radclieffe. rather to J.K Rowling. Sam and I, however, belong to them_

**XxMrs.RadcliffexX**: _Yeah..what she said!the way she started it was creepy tho...((shudders))_

_**MaidenDark: **Haha well, that's Alice for ya. So without any further delay, the fifth chap!_

_**XxMrs.RadcliffexX:** __Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 5: Confusion **

"_Stay away…Stay away I said!" _

She couldn't put her finger on it, it was a woman's voice, unlike the one that she usually heard. The cool, deep voice that had shouted the same name over and over. She had been hearing it since she was old enough to remember, but she still didn't know who it was.

"_Move you stupid girl…"_

"_Don't you dare…NO!!"_

After that chilling cold voice, asking the woman to move, the woman had screamed. Followed by a maniacal laugh, sending chills up her spine whenever she thought about it.

"_AVA!!"_

Then the voice that always calmed her down, even if it was a shout in her dream, she felt like she knew that voice, the voice that always had a protective sound in it…

"…am…Sam…"

Silver eyes opened slowly, and closed shut again at the glaring bright light. Samantha groaned as she tried to lift up her arm to shield her eyes, but found that she couldn't.

"Wha…" she said, startled. Wood, Ron, Ginny and Harry were beside her, worried looks etched on their faces.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked, concerned for his sister.

Samantha still laid down, blinking her eyes to adjust her vision. "Er…yeah…"

"Your right arm is broken, in case you're wondering." Ginny said, putting her hand on Samantha's shoulder. Samantha looked down and noticed her arm was in a cast.

"Madam Promfrey said to let it heal on it's own for now."

Samantha nodded, trying to recall what happened. Harry falling, Nimbus blown away, Whomping Willow, someone knocking her off the broom…

"Oh! Harry are you okay?" Samantha shot up, but regretted it immediately as the dizziness made her want to puke. Wood pushed her down gently, and she turned to Harry.

"Yeah, at least, better than you…I think…" he said, scratching the back of his head.

Samantha smiled, and realized another thing. "Did someone get your Nimbus?"

The others shifted around nervously, Harry had already known that his broom was beyond repair, but she didn't.

"Well, I heard you went after it…" Harry started. "But it got smashed, so it's gone."

Samantha sighed. So much for not wanting him to lose anything precious anymore.

"Wait…where's my broom?" she asked, and Wood frowned.

"You fell of it…" he said. She stared at him. "I know…don't tell me it…"

Wood nodded, and she slapped her hand to her face, groaning. First Harry's broom, now hers, great. She would be riding the school's broom for now…

"Wood found you unconscious under a tree near the Whomping Willow, do you have any idea how seriously injured you could have been if you were hit?" A calm voice said, and everyone turned.

Alice was walking in the Hospital Wing, accompanied by the rest of the Gryffindor team.

Fred and George immediately made a beeline for her bed and crouched down next to her concerned for their sister.

"How are you feeling?" asked Fred.

"I'm fine. Just a little groggy." replied Sam, flashing then an assuring smile.

"You're lucky to be alive! You could have died!" Alice yelled, her eyes flashing with anger towards the girl sitting on the bed.

Samantha gulped, Alice's wrath was something she didn't want to face. "I'm sorry! But…let's all be thankful I'm alive and alright…right?"

Alice walked slowly towards the bed, and the others made way for the fuming girl. She grabbed Samantha by the shoulders and started shaking her.

"You never take things seriously do you!" Alice shouted, startling everyone. "You could have had more than a broken arm! You could have had an eye poked out! You could have DIED!"

Wood and Harry tried to pull the girl off Samantha, who was trying to still her vision from moving. Fred and George managed to get Alice back, while Hermione and Ron patted Samantha's back. She coughed a few times before looking up at her best friend who had a hurt expression on her face.

"I'm sor-"

She didn't finish it, as Alice pulled her into a tight hug. Samantha blinked, before smiling. She patted the sapphire haired girl's head and laughed lightly. Alice had never shown so much expression in one day before.

"I thought…you were a goner…when Wood came carrying you from the Whomping Willow…"

Samantha giggled. "It'll take more than a tree to get me Alice."

Alice smiled. "Yeah…"

After a few minutes of hugging and stares from Ron, Hermione, Harry, Fred, George and Wood, Samantha tapped Alice's shoulder.

"Er…Alice? You're kinda on my broken arm…"

* * *

It was a relief to be back amongst the hustle and bustle of the school. Madam Pomfrey had insisted on keeping Samantha in the Hospital Wing for nearly two weeks. She sighed contently and stretched her now fully healed arm smiling. Samantha picked up her things and made her way out not wanting to be late to her first class.

As Samantha exited the portrait hole she bumped into someone just coming in.

"Hi Ollie." She said using the nickname she made up for Oliver.

"Since when do you call me Ollie?" asked the older boy, an eyebrow lifted.

"Since right now." She said giggling, playfully hitting his arm. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I have to get to class. I'll see you later Ollie." She said walking off.

"Hey Sam! Mind if I walk you to class?" he asked walking up to her. She shrugged, seeing no harm.

"Yeah sure." Samantha said smiling. Her smile turned to confusion when Oliver took her books out of her hands.

"Umm…Oliver..._What_ are you doing?"

"My dear Sam, when a gentleman walks a lady to class, he always carries her books." He said in his incredibly sexy Scottish accent.

Sam smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "And are you a gentleman Mr. Wood?" she asked imitating a British accent.

"Why yes, I believe I am Miss Weasley." He said trying to imitate her British accent, but failing miserably. He sounded like he had a head cold instead, resulting in sending Sam into a fit of giggles.

"Are you laughing at me?" he asked crossing his arms, and mock glared at her.

Samantha tried to answer but couldn't because she was laughing too hard and just shook her head frantically. Wood sighed.

"Are you lying or telling the truth?"

Samantha stopped laughing long enough to say "What do you think?" before trying to calm herself.

"I think…you're telling the truth." He said rubbing the back of his head, muttering.

"Then you're not a very good guesser cause I was lying." Samantha said and ran off without another word.

It took a few minutes before the meaning of the words registered into his brain. "Hey! Samantha Weasley you get back here!" he said running after her.

She was a fast runner, he'd give her that for it took him longer than expected to get to her. When he finally did, he tackled her around the waist, dropping the books he held for her.

"Gotcha!"

"Hey! Let me go!" she protested, laughing while struggling against his strong grip.

"Not until you receive your punishment." He said and began tickling her.

Samantha laughed and tried to pry from this death grip. She couldn't stop laughing and wondered what others would say if they saw her like this.

"Ollie! Stop! Come on Ollie _stop_!"

"Yeah _Ollie_ stop." came another voice.

Samantha and Oliver froze and turned around. Lo and behold, they were met with a pair of piercing, cold grey eyes.

"Get a room will ya, it would do my ears some good." He said flicking his eyes towards Oliver's hands still around Samantha's waist.

Oliver made as to remove his hands but Samantha placed her hands on top of his, stopping him.

"I don't have to listen to anything you say _Malfoy_. And besides, why do you care anyway? Jealous?" she taunted.

"Yes you areeee…"

"_No I'm not! Shut up you damn inner voice!!"_

"Jealous! Jealous! Jealous!"

"NO I'M **NOT**!!" he accidentally shouted out loud. He was met by strange looks from Samantha and Oliver.

"Honestly, why would **I** need to be jealous of _you_ or _Mr. Fancy Keeper_ over there."

Draco shook his head and smirked before walking off, leaving the two stunned Gryffindors behind.

"Way to go. You just made a fool out of yourself in front of her. Now she's gonna think you're a retard or something."

"_Shut up! If I did it's your fault for distracting me! Now shut up and leave me alone!"_

"Fine! I'll go away. For now. But I'll be back."

"_Oh quit trying to sound like Arnold Swartzernegar _ _and get __**out**__ of here!"_

"I'll be back!"

* * *

"_Camille! Run! Take Ava with you and run! I'll try to hold them off!" _

"_But Remus…" A woman's voice desperately pleaded._

"_Hurry!!"_

_The banging on the door was louder now, as the people on the other side tried to bring down the door. The man, Remus, scooped up a baby and forcefully shoved the infant into the woman's arms. He then proceeded to push the woman out another door._

"_GO! Take Ava and run __**now**__!"_

_The door burst open and a crowd of men in black cloaks surged in surrounding him. The woman and child had managed to escape unscathed, but the man now surrounded would not get out safely._

"_Where is she?" snarled one of them. "Give me the woman and child!" _

_Remus's eyes hardened. He would not give them the satisfaction of seeing his fear. In truth, he could battle, but he needed to buy time for the woman and her child to Apparate somewhere safer. Preferably to her husband. _

"_Not here." He said, ready for spells and injuries._

"_Crucio!" another screamed in rage, directing his wand to Remus._

_Remus gritted his teeth as the impact of the spell hit him, forcing him to his knees and barely biting in a scream…_

"NOOOOOOO!!!!" yelled Samantha, jolting awake. Everyone in class ceased their doings and chatter, blinking at the black haired girl. Professor McGonagall, who at the time was their teacher for that period frowned, obviously displeased at the interruption.

"Miss Weasley, would you care to explain what is the problem?" came her stern voice from the front of the class.

Samantha lifted her head to see Professor McGonagall glaring slightly at her from the front of the class. Samantha blushed slightly and replied nervously, already scared on inflicting more damage.

"Err..I had a rough night Professor.."

"I can see that Miss Weasley. But that does not give you a right to fall asleep in my class, regardless of the situation. 5 points from Gryffindor." The bell rang as she finished her sentence, and her frown deepened.

"Make sure to hand in your works in the next class." The students began filing out, getting ready to go to their next class.

"Sam, Alice, Harry and I are planning to do some Quidditch training after lunch. Wanna come?" asked Ginny.

"No thanks Gin. I'm not really in the mood for Quidditch." said Sam still pondering over her dream. The others stared at her.

"You? Not in the mood for Quidditch? Are you feeling okay?" Alice asked putting her hand to Sam's forehead.

"I'm fine Alice. Just a little tired. I think I'm going to take Scabbers out to the grounds for some fresh air. He's been really sick lately."

"Okay. Well, here's your chance to ask Ron cause he's coming this way along with Harry." Ginny said, pointing towards the crowd of students

Samantha looked up and sure enough her brother was making his way towards them with Harry by his side. She smiled at him when they reached her.

"Hey Ron, Harry." She said nodding to each of them in turn.

"Hey. Are you coming with us to train?" asked Harry.

"Nah. I don't really feel like it. Ron, would you mind if I took Scabbers out for some fresh air?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind! Scabbers could do with some fresh air. Thanks Sam. Here take him." Said Ron, who fished Scabbers out of his pocket and handed him to Samantha.

"Thanks Ron. Where's Hermione? I wanted to ask her if she wanted to come with me."

"Dunno. She was behind us when we came out of class then she just vanished! She seems to be doing that a lot lately." Replied Harry.

"Yeah! And whenever we try to ask her about it. She avoids the question!" added Ron.

_RIINNGGG_

"Oh! That's the lunch bell. Come on you lot." Said Ron heading towards the Great Hall and the others followed.

* * *

Samantha sat playing with Scabbers out on the grounds. Turning down the offer to practice Quidditch had greatly surprised Alice, Harry and Ginny. After all, she would always jump at the opportunity to practice Quidditch. 

"Enjoying the fresh air Scabbers?" she asked the rat on her lap who had been really sick lately.

Scabbers sqeaked softly in response. Samantha frowned. Scabbers squeak was a little too soft. She sighed softly and stroked his now shabby coat. She had somehow grown attached to the rat after all these years. And she had a feeling that Ron was pretty attached to it as well. Even though Ron constantly complained that Scabbers was a nuisance and did nothing she was sure he would be devastated if Scabbers really did die.

Suddenly, Scabbers started squeaking frantically and tried to jump out of Samantha's hold. Luckily after years of Quidditch Samantha had a very firm grip and managed to hold on to the struggling rat.

"Scabbers! Scabbers, _STOP_! What's wrong? What are you scared off? Sca-'' Samantha stopped short as her gaze fell on what was causing Scabbers such fear.

A dog.

A big, black, shaggy dog was a few feet away from her. Growling and baring its teeth. Samantha barely held back a scream and began backing away slowly from the hound. But with every step she took away from the dog, it took one towards her.

"Whoa boy…stay….stay…" She muttered without any real hope.

Sam froze as the dog took a gigantic leap towards her, her scream pierced through the air and shut her eyes as she awaited the blow. It never came. Daring to crack open an eye, she gasped at the person who had taken the blow. She didn't even notice him.

"Malfoy?" Samantha said in shock.

"_Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? What the heck? He took on the dog? Why?" _Samantha was screaming in her mind. Malfoy was struggling with the weight of the big dog on him.

"A little help would be appreciated Weaslette!" Malfoy yelled, snapping her back to reality.

Samantha dumbly nodded as she hastily stuffed the rat into her pocket, drawing out her wand and pointing it at the black dog on top of the Slytherin.

"Stupefy!" the spell she shot at the dog missed as it swiftly backed off from the boy, making Samantha gap.

She had expected the dog to counter, to bite them or chew them to pieces, but the dog merely growled and ran towards the dark forest. She shakily lowered her wand, her ears still straining for the sounds of the dog, but she heard nothing. She glanced down at the boy still lying on the ground. He was groaning in pain and clutching his injured right arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked, bending down to him, her eyes betrayed her emotions on her face, concerned for the young boy that saved her life.

Malfoy gritted his teeth in frustration and pain. Damn this stupid girl, damn him for being soft and damn him for intercepting that stupid mutt's assault on her. He paid dearly for that, for his arm felt like it had broke in several places.

"Are you stupid? My arm hurts and I think it's really broken right now!" he yelled at the girl.

"Really broken? I knew it!" Samantha said, throwing her hands up. "You were faking it!"

"That is hardly the time for that issue right now!" Malfoy said, gritting his teeth again. "Be more careful next time! I'm not there to save your sorry butt everytime!"

Samantha scoffed. "Everytime? EVERYTIME? I don't recall needing you to save my 'sorry butt' all the time _ferret_!"

Draco stopped short. So, the Captain of the Gryffindor team did not mention that he was the one who took the blow for her at the Whomping Willow the last time. Figures, that git wanted the glory to himself.

"Oh that's right. I forgot that Mr.Fancy Keeper was the one who saved you last time." He said venom dripping from every syllable he spoke. Samantha looked a little taken back.

"I'll **remember** to leave the saving to your precious _Ollie_ next time." He snapped, getting up with effort. He glared at her with hate and hurt in his eyes before stalking away, determined to not let some girl hold him up.

Samantha opened and closed her mouth, words not coming out like she wanted. It was until he was halfway through the grounds before her voice came back.

"Malfoy! Get back here! I'm not done with you!" she shouted, frustration eating inside her.

"Too bad Weaslette! I'm through with you!" he yelled back, thankful that no one was around to hear them. He would be not be caught dead yelling at someone, not ever. But in his trains of thoughts he did not notice Samantha stomping furiously towards his direction, furry in her eyes.

"FINE! Shove it!" she pushed past him with much force that sent the boy off his balance, barely registering what happened before clutching the wall for support.

"Never in my life will I understand _**BOYS**_!" he heard her muttered as he composed himself. He glared and wished that looks could kill right now.

"Never in my life will I understand _**GIRLS**_!" Malfoy grumbled as he headed in the opposite direction, towards the Hospital Wing.

* * *

The next day however, any anger towards the young Slytherin had disappear from Samantha's mind. She felt a little guilty, considering the fact that he **did** save her from the dog and had broken his arm in process. She sighed. 

"_I guess I'll thank him the next time I see him, that is, if he's being civilized."_

She nodded to herself, easing the guilt that build up in her stomach. She felt much better right now.

"…Clumsy…dumb…"

Samantha snapped her head in the direction of the voices. No one was suppose to be around here. It was already evening, and most students were in their dorms or the Great Hall, having dinner. She looked around to see a door leading to an empty classroom slightly ajar, and she slowly crept towards it.

"…broken your arm again!" the voices were clearer as she got closer, and she strained to listen.

"Not my fault the dog was there." Another voice haughtily said. The other sighed.

"Honestly, you've had more injuries than Harry this year."

At the mention of her close friend's name, curiosity got the better of her and she peeked in, only to meet a sight that made her jaw drop.

Alice was holding Draco Malfoy's injured arm, shaking her head as she inspected it.

* * *

**Draco: **Well, that's the end of the chapter! So review! since **I** was in most of this chapter..yay! finally I'm a main character! 

**Sam: **Since when are you the main character?

**Draco:** Since right now! ((holds up a board saying Draco is now a main character))

**Sam:** A _board_ doesn't prove **anything**!

**Draco: **yes it does!

**Sam: **no it doesnt

**Draco: **Does to!

**Sam: **Does not!

**Draco:** Does to!

**Sam:** Does to!

**Draco:** Does not!

**Sam: **GOTCHA! ((smirks))

**Draco: **((groan))

**MaidenDark:** Enough! ((hits both on the head))

**XxMrs.RadcliffexX:** Bout time...getting a headache. But pls review!


	6. Chapter 6

**me:** Wow! We sure took our own sweet time to update didnt we? Wonder if we have any readers left? If we do, SORRY WE TOOK SO LONG!!

**dark:** Hee, so we did! Who's up for disclaiming today?? Drawing lots? Or...random pick?

** me:** Eenie meenie miney mo! Catch a tiger by the toe! If it screams let it go! I choose you! ((points at Harry))

**dark:** Ooo...harry! -grabs harry- talk! XD

**Harry:** ((is writing frantically)) I dont have time for disclaimers! I have to finish this potions essay!

**dark:** Essay!? What is it compared to my finals next week huh!? TALK!

**Harry:** ((still writing)) Must...finish...essay

**me**** :** Haha I'm on hols so I can relax ((grins))

_-receives evil death glares of doom from dark and Harry-_

**dark:** -cough- Anyway, Harry, just say the line, seriously, this is dragging too long cuz of you!

**Harry:** Ugh, fine! Everything except Sam, Alice and the original ideas used here belong to the oh-so-awesome, genius, fantastic author J.K. Rowling

**me****:** Suck up much? Although I do agree ((laughs))

**dark:** LOL. Good boy. Now shoo to do ur essay and we can get on with the story!

**Harry:** Finally! ((continues writing frantically)) gaaah..I shouldnt have snuck out to Hogsmeade yesterday!!

**me****:** Well serves you right then! Now on with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Christmas**

Samantha pressed herself against the wall outside of the classroom, breathing softly. _"Alice and Malfoy__, together. Definitely not normal.__"_She thought, as she peered in again.

"Honestly, after being a total git towards the Hippogriffs, I thought you would have grown a brain to actually think before you act!" Alice exclaimed, hitting his cast lightly.

"Ow! Watch it woman!" Malfoy hissed, clutching his hand. "What did you expect me to do then? Watch as that Weaselette become dog food?"

Alice sighed. "No, no. Of course not." She leaned against the table behind her then jolted back up.

"Wait a minute…since when do you care about Sam? As far as I know you, what was that you always said? Oh that's right! You '_hate her and would love nothing better than to see her get hurt.__'_" she said a sly grin forming on her face.

Malfoy glared at her. "Yeah I do! But still you don't expect me to just watch as someone dies right in front of me do you? I'm not _that_ evil. I would even save Potter if he were about to die right in front of me!" He paused, tilting his head to the side. "At least…I think I would." He added as an afterthought.

Alice laughed and then said "But seriously though, you have to be more careful. I'd prefer not to see so many injuries on people I care about." She said softly, putting a hand on his cast one.

Malfoy smirked, but his eyes were understanding. "Oh, so you care about me do you? Seriously Alice, you're the only Gryffindor I know who'd be worried about a Slytherin. A Malfoy none the less." He teased.

Alice shot him a glare, tempted to hit his injured arm, but resisted. "Alright, point taken. I'd better head back to the Gryffindor Tower before the others start worrying. I'll see you around." She said, flashing a smile at him before turning around.

Samantha, who had been very still listening to their conversation, immediately bolted from her spot towards the Great Hall, afraid that Alice might catch her if she stayed. She pressed herself into a concealed corner and watched as Alice walk by. Seconds later Draco walked of in the opposite direction presumably to the Slytherin common room.

"_What the hell was all that about?__"_ wondered Sam as she made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower. Her mind raced with a thousand possibilities, each more feeble than the last. The only way she would truly know what was going on would be to ask Alice herself. Which didn't really seem to be a solution at all.

Samantha snorted while whispering to herself, "Like she'd tell me if I asked anyway."

"Who wouldn't tell you what, my fair lady?" came a voice.

Samantha glanced around before her eyes fell on Sir Cadogan's portrait. Without realizing it she had reached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

"Oh its nothing. I was just talking to myself." replied Sam before giving the password and walking in. The common room was empty save for Hermione who seemed to be looking for something, Ron and Harry who were talking in front of the fireplace, and Fred and George who were discussing something.

"Hi." said Sam to the room in general.

There were general replies before everyone went back to what they were doing. Sam walked slowly up to Hermione not wanting to startle her.

"What are you looking for Mione?" she asked.

"Crookshanks." replied Hermione while bending to check under an armchair.

"Hey, come to think of it, I haven't seen Crookshanks around lately." said Sam glancing around the common room as if expecting Crookshanks to appear.

"Yeah and good riddance!" said Ron.

"Ron!" said Sam whacking him on the arm.

"What? Without that orange menace around Scabbers can actually get some rest! Look, he looks much better already." said Ron holding out a sleeping Scabbers.

"Oh for heavens sake Ronald! Scabbers looks exactly the same as he normally does! Will you stop blaming Crookshanks?" snapped Hermione.

"Well how would you know if he's better or not?" retorted Ron getting to his feet.

Sam sighed and sat down in the armchair Ron had just vacated. She was too used to Ron and Hermione's bickering. She rolled her eyes at Harry who grinned lazily at her and lay back in his armchair enjoying the fire's warmth. Sam smiled sleepily and yawned deciding to go upstairs.

"I'm gonna go to bed. Night." she announced and headed up the stairs.

When she entered her dorm everyone was already asleep so Sam changed quietly ant got into bed pulling the covers around her. She snuggled down into her covers and drifted off into a peaceful sleep, thoughts of Alice and Malfoy, and thoughts of where Crookshanks was, far from her mind.

* * *

If anyone happened to glance out their window they would have been surprised to see that the usually dark and gloomy figure of the Shrieking Shack was bathed with light tonight. Anyone watching might then have seen a shadow repeatedly crossing the window of the shack. Anyone watching would have assumed it was a ghost as the shack was rumored to be haunted. How wrong they would be.

"Good Crookshanks." muttered Sirius Black as he paced beside a window of the Shrieking Shack.

He lifted Crookshanks more securely into his arms and paused by the window. He could see Hogwarts. He sighed as he absent mindedly scratched Crookshanks ears. How he missed that place. All those good times he had with his friends there and that's where he met the love of his life. He glanced around the Shrieking Shack remembering all the times the Marauders had been in here. They had come here even before they found out Remus was a werewolf. He could almost hear them.

"_Did you see the look on Snivellus'__s face?" asked James._

_Sirius snorted. "Hell yeah. That was a good one James!" He high-fived his best friend._

"_Don'__t know if you noticed, but Lily didn__'__t look too happy when she saw what you did James." Said Remus quietly looking up from his book._

"_Who? Evans? Hah, one of these days she'__ll figure out she__'__s crazy about me.__" said James spreading out across the floor with his hands behind his head and closed his eyes._

_Sirius and Remus shared a mischievous look and crept over to James. On the count of three, each leaned towards one of James__'__s ears and both screamed "IN YOUR DREAMS POTTER!!" while simultaneously smacking him on the head._

_James bolted upright, cursing and glaring at his two best friends who were rolling on the floor laughing._

"_You'__re going to pay for that." He growled getting to his feet._

_Sirius and Remus sobered up and glanced at each other then at James._

"_Uh-oh."_

"_Come here you!"_

"_AAHHH!! RUN REMUS!!" Sirius yelled as he got to his feet and bolted out the door, Remus behind him and James hot on their heels._

"Those were the good times." He said to himself.

And of course after they had found out about Remus, they had learned how to become Animagus's and crept out of Hogwarts during every full moon to keep Remus company when he transformed into a werewolf. James as a stag, himself as a dog, and Pettigrew as a rat. Anger raged in him as he thought of Pettigrew.

"Betrayer!" he spat, startling Crookshanks who jumped out of his arms and curled up on a chair instead.

The man whom they had all considered a friend had betrayed them. Pettigrew has caused Sirius so much pain. Because of him Sirius had lost everyone dear to him. His best friend, his wife, and his daughter.

"Well maybe not everyone." He said as he glanced back out at Hogwarts and this time a small smile graced his lips as he thought of his daughter.

He had actually seen her. She was alive and well, but most importantly, she was happy. He looked at the torn picture he had tacked up on the wall.

"Ava, do you know you have your mothers eyes?" he whispered, his eyes focused on the image of his daughter on the wall.

"Your mother always said you looked like me. And I have to agree with her. However cocky that might sound. You do look like me. Have you noticed the resemblance yet? My picture has been in the papers a lot. Do you know the man they all talk about is your father?"

His eyes teared up slightly and his voice cracked as he said "Do you know I'm innocent?"

He reached out and brushed the picture with his fingertips while whispering "I love you Ava, I always have, and I always will. We will be together soon. I promise. And I will have my revenge on the man who tore us apart."

Sirius Black took one last look at Hogwarts before leaving the room scooping Crookshanks up along and extinguishing the candles he had lit as he went.

"Come on Crookshanks, we have work to do."

The only sign that someone had ever been in the Shrieking Shack was the picture on the wall. The picture of his daughter Ava and on the table below the picture was the rest of the photo it had been torn from. It was the picture of the Weasley's on their holiday in Egypt, and the photo on the wall was that of Samantha Weasley.

* * *

Samantha never got around to asking Alice what the girl had been doing with the Malfoy after that night, as they were all busy with Quidditch practice almost everyday. Alice went about her day as usual, Samantha noted, with no contact with Malfoy during the day. Even when they crossed paths with one other Alice and Malfoy wouldn't acknowledge each other. It made the event she saw that night so unreal. Sometimes she wondered if it had all been some sort of strange dream.

And somehow, before she knew it, it was already a week before Christmas, time when students went back to their families to celebrate the occasion.

"You're not going back?" Samantha asked her brother, who shrugged.

"Harry's not going, Mione's staying too, so why not?" Ron replied. "Fred and George and going home though. Something about needing access to their joke making supplies." He shrugged. "You going home?"

Samantha frowned, weighing her options. Christmas was usually spent at home at the Burrow, on the other hand, she had never stayed behind for Christmas before in Hogwarts.

"I'll stay."

"You sure?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Positive." Samantha replied, smirking. "I wanna see how Christmas is in Hogwarts."

"I'm staying too." Another voice joined in their conversation, and Samantha was delighted when she found Alice waltzing into the common room. "Mother doesn't seem thrilled about something, so I thought I'd better stay out of her way till she calms down." The sapphire eyed girl explained, taking a seat beside Harry, who was dozing off on one of the long couches.

"That's great!" Samantha exclaimed excitedly. "So what happens for Christmas?" She asked, her eyes full of joy as she turned to Ron.

"You'll see." Her brother replied, smiling at her childish excitement. "It'll be great."

* * *

Just a few days before Christmas, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armor and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that even Scabbers poked his nose out of the shelter of Ron's pocket to sniff hopefully at the air.

On Christmas morning, the golden trio was awakened by pillows thrown at their heads, courtesy of Alice and Samantha.

"Presents!" Samantha shouted, dumping her load of presents at the foot of Harry's bed. Alice did the same, and Hermione had somehow been dragged along into the boy's dormitories with her own load of presents.

Ron crawled to his presents, grabbing the first one on top as he read the card and ripped the paper wrappings.

"Another jumper from Mum…maroon again…what did you get?" He asked generally, since all of them were bound to receive one.

Harry held up the scarlet jumper with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, while Samantha gestured to herself indicating the dark blue jumper, with a 'S' inscribed that she was wearing. Alice muttered something about a dark green scarf and Hermione held up the purple hand-knitted gloves she had just unwrapped. Ron sighed and placed the jumper behind him and was about to open the rest of his presents, when two long thin parcels caught his eye. He craned his head to read the labels and saw that one was for Harry and the other for Sam.

"Hey Sam, Harry, what's that?" He pointed, and Samantha pushed her presents away to look.

"Oh? I didn't notice this…" She muttered, pulling it out from underneath the wrappings. "Harry, you've got a similar one."

Harry and Samantha ripped the parcels open and they both gasped simultaneously as the magnificent, gleaming broomsticks rolled out onto her lap, and Harry's bedspread. Ron dropped the socks that he just unwrapped and jumped off his bed for a closer look, while Alice and Hermione edged closer to Samantha.

"I don't believe it!" Samantha choked out as she examined the broom, eyes wide with surprise. Harry's eyes were wide and as round as saucer plates as he examined his.

It was a Firebolt, identical to the dream broom Harry had gone to see everyday in Diagon Alley. Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating, and let it go. Samantha mimicked his actions; it hung in mid-air, unsupported, at exactly the same height for them to mount it. Samantha's eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail.

"Good lord." Alice whispered. "Who sent it to you two?"

"Look and see if there's a card." Harry suggested as Ron ripped apart the Firebolt wrappings of his broom.

"Nothing! Blimey, how come I didn't get one?" He said, mournfully eyeing his sister's and Harry's new broom.

"Well…" Harry said, feeling stunned. "I bet it wasn't the Dursleys." He attempted to make a joke.

"And I'm pretty sure Mum can't afford this!" Samantha said, touching the handle of her broom.

"Maybe it was Dumbledore." Ron said, walking around to examine every glorious inch of both Firebolts that floated in the middle of all of them. "He sent Harry the Invisibility Cloak anonymously…"

"That was my dad's though." Harry said. "Dumbledore was just passing it on to me. He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons on me _and_ Sam. He wouldn't go giving students stuff like this-"

"That's why he wouldn't say it's from him!" Ron said. "In case some git like Malfoy said it was favoritism. Imagine his face when he sees not one, but _two_ Firebolts! He'll be sick as a pig! These are _international_-standard brooms, they are!"

As Ron continued to laugh with glee, Samantha couldn't help but feel Hermione disagreeing with everything he had said. Her face was scrunched up in concentration, as though she was thinking real hard about something.

"Say Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?"

"I don't think anyone should ride those brooms just yet!" Hermione said shrilly. The four other occupants in the room looked at her weirdly.

"What d'you think they're going to do with it - sweep the floor?" Ron said.

Before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks sprang from under Seamus's bed, right at Ron's chest.

"GET - HIM - OUT- OF - HERE!" Ron bellowed, as Crookshanks's claws ripped his pyjamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder. Samantha seized Scabbers and backed away from the hissing cat, and Ron aimed a misjudged kick at it which hit the trunk at the end of Harry's bed, knocking it over and causing Ron to hop on the spot, howling in pain.

Crookshanks's fur suddenly stood on end. A shrill, tinny whistling was filling the room. The Pocket Sneakscope had become dislodged from Uncle Vernon's old socks and was whirling and gleaming on the floor.

"I forgot about that!" Harry said, bending down and picking up the Sneakscope. "I never wear those socks if I can help it…"

The Sneakscope whirled and whistled in his palm. Crookshanks was hissing and spitting at it.

"You better take Crookshanks out of here, Mione." Alice said, glancing at Ron's furious face; he was sitting on Harry's bed nursing his toe.

Samantha said nothing as she passed back the now skinny rat to her brother, and Harry looked concerned for the poor creature. Listening to her brother's complains about Crookshanks was really getting annoying, after all, it was in a cat's nature to chase rats, wasn't it?

* * *

It seemed that Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room that morning. Hermione had shut Crookshanks in the girl's dormitory, but was furious at Ron for trying to kick him; Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks's fresh attempt to eat Scabbers. Samantha and Harry had tried to play peacemaker, but had given up when they both stubbornly refused to talk. Instead, the two went back to examining their Firebolts, which they brought down, but somehow that seemed to annoy Hermione even more.

At lunchtime, Alice suggested they go down for lunch, since they had been up here all morning after all. Samantha, despite the morning drama, practically skipped the whole way to the Great Hall, finding that the house tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather mouldy-looking tail coat. There was only one other student, a pale platinum haired Slytherin, who made Samantha frown when she realized it was Malfoy.

"Merry Christmas!" Dumbledore greeted as they approached the table. "As there are so few of us…"

Samantha did not listen to the Headmaster, her eyes more fixated on Malfoy as he looked up at them. In that short moment, she swore she saw Malfoy's lips curve into a small smile, but it vanished as soon as she blinked, and he had already turned back to his meal.

"…Sit down, sit down!"

Samantha sat down beside Harry, and continued to observe the Slytherin, wondering if he would make any snide comments and she was not disappointed. Malfoy glanced up and ran his eyes over her sweater and snorted.

"Something funny Malfoy?" she asked cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah there is actually. Let me ask you something Weaselette, did you decide to change houses and join Slytherin?" he asked with his trademark smirk fully in place. "Not that we'd ever actually accept a half-blood into Slytherin."

"Did you drink too much Firewhiskey or something? Even if I was going to change houses I seriously doubt I would choose _Slytherin _of all houses!"

Sam failed to notice Professor Snape glaring determinedly at her.

"Funny then that you're wearing Slytherin's symbol isn't it?" he drawled letting his eyes run over her sweater again.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Oh puh-lease Malfoy! Slytherins don't own the letter 'S' you know. Did it ever occur to you that the 'S' stands for my name?"

"Oh really?" Malfoy feigned shock. "I wasn't aware that you had changed your name to **S**tupid!"

"Now, now, you two....that's quite enough!" snapped Professor McGonagall. "It's Christmas and it would be nice to see some inter-house cooperation." She punctuated this statement with a hard glare at the both of them.

"Yes Professor." They both replied then turned back to their food.

Samantha glowered at the Slytherin sitting in front of her and smirked as an idea came to her mind. She made sure the professor's were preoccupied before flicking a forkful of her mashed potatoes at him. He looked up just as the potatoes were sailing towards his face and they landed right in the middle of his forehead. The gravy trickled down his face.

Sam and the rest laughed at the sight and even the teachers looked like they were holding back laughter.

"Whoops, butterfingers." Sam said holding up her fingers and wiggling them.

"I'll get you for that Weaselette. I promise." Malfoy whispered wiping the mashed potatoes off his face then promptly turned back to his food. Sam stared at him for a while just to make sure he wasn't going to retaliate. After a whole minute though, Malfoy looked as though he would continue ignoring her, she turned away.

Alice had sat herself beside him, since the table was for twelve, it seemed as though they didn't have a choice.

"Carrots." She heard Alice mutter, and she barely caught her friend's actions of throwing one on Malfoy's plate, which he scowled at.

"Eat your own darn meal!" Malfoy hissed, poking the offending vegetable, cutting a small portion before putting it in his mouth, albeit reluctantly.

Samantha opened her mouth to say something, but the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding towards them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequined dress in honor of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly, which Samantha had to duck her head in effort not to laugh.

Thanks to that distraction, Samantha forgot about Alice and Malfoy for the time being, as Professor Trelawney ranted on about how she couldn't join them, as it would make thirteen and the first to rise will be the first to die. Hermione scoffed at the comment, and Alice pretended to have dropped something under the table just to laugh at the ridiculous superstition, as she would call it.

Apart from that, the two hour lunch went by smoothly, and by the end of it, Harry and Ron deciding they were full, got up first from the table. Professor Trelawney's shriek made them halt in their tracks, and all eyes turned to the Professor.

"My dears! Which of you left his seat first? Which?"

"Dunno." Ron said, looking uneasily at Harry, who shrugged.

Alice had her head down again, trying not to laugh at Professor Trelawney's outburst, while Hermione raised an eyebrow and Samantha snorted.

"I doubt it will make much difference." Professor McGonagall interrupted coldly. "Unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the Entrance Hall."

Alice burst out laughing, unconsciously leaning onto Malfoy, who seemed ignorant about it. He did however, have a hint of smirk on his face. Samantha didn't notice these things, as she was busy laughing too.

Shaking his head, Harry looked at Hermione. "Coming?"

"No, I need a quick word with Professor McGonagall." She said quietly.

Samantha stood after her bout of laughter, and Alice followed suit. Malfoy stayed seated, gazing at his plate, looking bored.

"_Geez…if he was going to be bored anyway, why bother staying back for Christmas?"_ Samantha thought to herself as they walked out of the hall.

"Where to?" Samantha asked Alice, who shrugged.

"I was thinking of taking a long walk."

"Oh, I'll head back to the dorms then."

Alice nodded, and walked off, no doubt to outdoors, where the weather was cold and the frost bit into your skin when you walked. Smiling at the wonderful day she was having, Sam sped up the staircases to their common room, eager to look at her Firebolt again. This was the finest broom she had ever had.

"…shall keep you informed."

Samantha almost bumped into Professor McGonagall as she exited the portrait hole, which closed behind her. The Head of Gryffindor house nodded at the Weasley, before continuing her journey down. Samantha stared after her, noticing that the Professor held the two Firebolts in her arms.

"Professor! I'm sorry but isn't that my new Firebolt you're holding? And Harry's as well I believe."

"Yes it is Miss Weasley. Both the brooms will be stripped down and checked for spells, hexes, jinxes or anything else of the sort."

"W-what? Stripped down? Checked for jinxes? Why?"

"I believe Miss Granger will explain everything to you. Now, if you'll excuse me I should get started."

With that, Professor McGonagall turned and left leaving Sam staring dumbstruck after her.

Whipping around in haste, she gave the password and the portrait swung open, and the angry voices floated to her ears.

"_What did you go running to McGonagall for?!"_ Ron shouted at Hermione, who threw her book aside, her face pink. However, she stood up and faced Ron defiantly as Samantha watched the argument go on. Harry was frowning too, and she was pretty certain he was angry at the browned haired Gryffindor.

"Because I thought - and Professor McGonagall agrees with me - that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

"Then what about mine?" Samantha asked, interrupting their spat. Hermione's eyes landed on her, and she shook her head.

"Sirius Black couldn't have sent it to _me_!"

"Professor McGonagall said it was better to be safe than sorry." Hermione muttered.

Without another word, Hermione fled the common room, leaving the three stunned teenagers in her wake.

* * *

Samantha and Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop them from being angry with her. As much as Samantha loved the older girl, somehow her Quidditch craze won over it, and having not one, but _two_ new Firebolts on their team would definitely boost their chance of winning the Cup this year, but now, Samantha wasn't even sure they would see their brooms again. Stripping it down indeed.

Hermione avoided the common room as much as she could after that, and Samantha couldn't blame her. Harry and Ron seemed to be taking it harder than herself, and she sometimes wondered if they were being too childish. Alice had heard about the whole incident, and tried reasoning with Samantha, and the black haired girl had agreed in the end, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Wood sought them both out after Christmas, on the last day of the holidays right before the term started.

Coincidentally, Harry and Samantha were sitting in the common room alone, discussing Quidditch.

"Had a good Christmas?" Wood asked, and sat down before he got an answer.

"I've been doing some thinking over the holidays, and well…after our last match…if the Dementors show up again…I mean…we can't afford to…"

Wood broke off, looking awkward.

"Don't worry about it." Harry said quickly, trying to reassure Wood. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward them off, so I'm working on it."

"Ah." Wood's expression cleared. "That's good. Have you two ordered brooms yet, by the way?"

Both shook their heads, and Wood frowned. "What? You don't expect to ride a Shooting Star against Ravenclaw do you?"

"They got Firebolts for Christmas." Ron muttered, joining in their conversation and Wood looked up, eyes wide.

"What? Seriously? A real _F-Firebolt_?"

"Firebolt_**s**_." Ron corrected. " Cool huh? Not one, but two! Imagine how they'd whip Slytherin's butt in that match…"

"Don't get too excited Ollie, we haven't got it with us now." Samantha said, waving a hand. "Professor McGonagall took them away to check for jinxes."

"Jinxed? How can it be jinxed?"

"Sirius Black." Harry and Samantha chimed together.

Waving the information aside, Wood seemed more concerned about the broom than the fact that a serial murderer was after his Seeker and possibly his Chaser as well. "Black couldn't have bought it! He's on the run! He couldn't have waltzed into a Quidditch supply shop and bought brooms, much less send them!"

"I tried telling McGonagall, she wouldn't listen." Harry grumbled.

"I'll talk to her…make her see sense." Wood promised them. "_Firebolts_, on our team! She wants us to win as much as I do…_Firebolts_!"

* * *

After that talk with Wood, the days passed by like usual for Samantha. Classes had started, and she was currently seated in Professor Snape's class. Double Potions, joy.

Glancing around, she noticed everyone had started adding ingredients into their cauldron, so she glanced up at the board, and instead of the green board, she saw a platinum head blocking it.

She narrowed her eyes. _"Whats Malfoy doing in here?" _she thought to herself.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy." Snape said, handing him something. "Yes, if you would."

Malfoy nodded, turning to walk out when his eyes landed on Samantha. He sneered at her, and she glared.

"Watch what you're adding, you might blow up the dungeon." Malfoy said smugly as he passed her.

"Only if you're in it." Samantha hissed, dropping a lizard tail into her mixture.

Looks like they were back to square one. Hate and war.

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM!!"

Samantha groaned and burrowed deeper under her covers refusing to be roused.

"Go away." She mumbled.

In response, all her covers flew off her and landed in a heap by the corner of her bed. She groaned again and felt around for her covers before finally sitting up and glaring at the people standing in front of her. Namely, Alice, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Oliver.

"Hey! Give me my covers back!"

"Oh come on Sam! It's your birthday! Shouldn't you be more excited?" asked Ron grinning at her.

"Not when im being woken up too darn early in the morning on a weekend none the less!"

she retorted glaring at her brother. "It's my birthday! Shouldn't I get to sleep till whatever time I want?"

"Not when you have presents to open!" declared the twins as they dumped the one they were holding onto her bed, hitting her on the head in the process.

"OW!" Sam muttered rubbing her head. "Who let you guys in here anyway? Boys aren't allowed in the girls dormitories you know."

"No, but they can get in if they happen to know a secret passageway that comes out right at the top of the girls dormitory stairs." said Oliver smirking slightly and sitting on Sam's bed.

Sam glared at the twins knowing that it was them who had found the secret passage. They grinned back at her.

"Oh quit being so cranky! Its your birthday! Now, hurry up and open your presents so we can go down to the kitchens and eat the cake we had specially prepared for you." said Alice placing her present on the bed as well. Everyone else placed their presents on the bed as well smiling at Sam.

"Thanks you guys!" said Sam finally smiling at them and began unwrapping her presents which consisted of a collection of their fireworks and some Zonko's products from Fred and George, a charm bracelet from Alice, an assortment of books from Hermione, and a large package of the different Honeydukes's products from Harry, Ron and Oliver.

"Oh before I forget, Mum said your present from her and Dad should arrive later today along with Bill and Charlie's. Percy asked us to wish you for him, said he'd see you later or something, he's busy with his Head Boy duties." said Ron.

"Alright." replied Sam. "Thanks again for all the presents you guys!" she added hugging everyone there. "Why don't you guys head down to the kitchens first and I'll meet you down there after I've showered and dressed?"

Everyone agreed and left Sam to shower and dress in peace. Sam gathered all the wrappings and stood to throw them in the wastepaper basket, when something fell from the bundle in her hands and fell to the floor. She looked down and saw an unopened present. She placed the wrappings on the floor and picked up the present, sitting back down on her bed,

"Wonder who this one is from…" she muttered to herself seeing no tag on the present. She unwrapped it revealing a brilliant gold, heart-shaped locket.

"Wow! Who would send me this?" she wondered as she turned the locket around in her hands admiring it. Noticing an inscription on the front she brought it closer to face to read it, only to gasp and let locket slip from her fingers falling on the floor with a thunk.

The inscription read _"For Ava".

* * *

_**me:** Oooh..cliffhanger!! ((cue suspenseful music))

**Draco:** ((scoffs)) Geez..finally some plot advancement! I thought we'd never get past the fillers

**me:** ((glares)) Shaddup you or I'll sic padfoot on you

**Draco:** ((scoffs)) I aint afraid of no dog

**me:** Oh really? Get him padfoot!

**Padfoot:** ((growls and chases after draco))

**Draco:** ((while running away)) AAAAAHH!! GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!!

**me:** Hehe..make sure to read the next chap to see if Draco suvives! Oh and review please! =D

**Draco:** NO!! DOWN!! BAD DOGGIE!! OWW!! LET GO OF MY FOOOT!! SOMEBODY HELP MEEE!!


End file.
